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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26326009">Jack: Adventures of a Demon Hunter</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sinister_Kid/pseuds/Sinister_Kid'>Sinister_Kid</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Dragon Age: Inquisition</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>All This Shit is Weird, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bisexual Cullen Rutherford, Bisexual Male Character, But It Turns Out The Game Is Real, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Eventual Relationships, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Magical Accidents, Minor Character Death, Modern Girl in Thedas, More Complicated Than A Dwarven Puzzle Box, Multi, Multiple Pairings, Non-binary character, POV Multiple, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Stuck In a Male Lavellan though, Stuck in a Video Game, Tagging for Non-Binary Because Its a Chick Stuck In a Man's Body, Weird Plot Shit, its wierd, things dont go as planned</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 12:35:09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>30,691</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26326009</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sinister_Kid/pseuds/Sinister_Kid</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Yes, another Modern Girl In Thedas story. But this one is different, I assure you. See, Jacquelyn Eaves is trapped in the body of her male character, Vir'assan Lavellan, and she isn't lucky enough to be the Herald of Andraste either. Instead she is an outcast, feared and mistrusted because she knows precisely what the enemy plans to do next. But that isn't going to stop her from doing everything she can to help Thedas. Despite what the Commander might have to say about it. Because it's not one's abilities that make them a Hero, reader. It's what they choose to do with them that makes the difference.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Blackwall | Thom Rainier/Female Trevelyan, Cullen Rutherford/Original Character(s), Minor or Background Relationship(s), Other Relationship Tags to Be Added</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>51</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. The Way of the Arrow: Fly Straight, and Do Not Waver</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Yeah so I got this idea from writing a couple of other MGIT stories that I never posted, one of which was about a girl from Earth, unironically named Terra, that gets sent to Thedas and gifted with the mark, and then another in which several people get sent to Thedas in the bodies of their characters (Which was where my inspiration for Jack came from) And so I decided to smash those two concepts together and post the first chapter so it would hopefully force me to finish it eventually, instead of simply letting it collect dust and cobwebs with all the other junk saved on my hard drive (not that it's ever worked before.) Anyway, enjoy.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>She thought it was a dream at first, when she woke to find herself not in her own body, but in someone else’s. Confused to find herself wearing the basic scout armor her characters wore at the beginning of Dragon Age: Inquisition. Completely distraught to find her breasts gone, and in the pair of pants she wore, a set of <em>male</em> parts that didn’t have any business being there. And when she looked at her reflection in the ice, mortified to see the strange face inside staring back at her.</p><p>It looked sort of like her, she supposed. Same hair color, same skin tone, and same eyes, as she’d designed Vir’assan in the character creator to look somewhat familiar. But that face shape was not her face shape. Neither did she naturally have two black wisps of branches beneath her eyes, in the shape of Mythal’s vallaslin. But in fact, the face staring back at her was that of her character, Vir’assan Lavellan, her male elven rogue. She scrambled away from it in horror.</p><p>If she was in the body of her character, and she <em>wasn’t</em> dreaming, that meant she was in Thedas! Truly, actually inside a video game! She glanced down at her left hand to see it was normal, and there was no spark of green magic emanating from it, which meant the explosion hadn’t happened yet. There was still time to stop it from ever happening if she wanted. “I’ve gotta get to the Conclave!” she exclaimed, blanching at the sound of her voice. Quickly Jacquelyn scrambled to her feet.</p><p>She searched the area nearby for weapons, finding a discarded bow and arrows, then took off in the direction she hoped was correct.</p><p>In hopes of stopping a terrible event before it was destined to take place.</p><hr/><p>Not far from where Jack woke up in the body of an elf sat the village of Haven, high up in the Frostback Mountains. Cullen Rutherford, formally Knight-Commander of Kirkwall, stood outside its main gate in his freshly cleaned lion armor, now that he no longer needed Templar gear, as he was no longer a Templar. He stood next to Lieutenant Rylen, a transfer from Starkhaven, and the two were going over their inventory of supplies while waiting for the Conclave to commence.</p><p>The Divine and her entourage had already arrived at the Temple of Sacred Ashes the day prior, and began preparations. Now, the following day, mages and Templars were uniformly marching up the path, headed to the Temple themselves. What they had planned for months was finally going to happen, and in the event that the peace talks should fail, men like Cullen and Rylen were waiting to diffuse any conflict that might erupt once more between both factions.</p><p>They were a fail safe; a last resort should negotiations fall flat, and if no compromise could be made, it would be up to Seeker Cassandra and her Inquisition to restore the peace. That was what had been discussed in private, behind closed doors, as the Inquisition had yet to be officially announced. At the moment, Cullen simply had his hands full just trying to keep the soldiers warm, fed and properly equipped, as supplies were scarce this far from civilization. A struggle in of itself.</p><p>It was at that moment, as he was discussing the situation with Rylen, that a lone scout could be seen jogging up the path, toting a simple long bow and a quiver full of arrows. He was elven, with Dalish markings on his face, and though Sister Leliana had recruited elves into her ranks, Cullen had never seen this particular elf until now. Cullen grew suspicious of this, so when he jogged past the Commander, he quickly reached out to grab him by his armor and yank him back.</p><p>“Who are you?” he demanded of the elf, who looked too boyishly young and inexperienced to be one of Leliana’s people. Rather androgynous in appearance, but most elves naturally were, as they were incapable of growing facial hair, but this one appeared especially youthful, likely a teenager still. He blanched up at the Commander in surprise and confusion. He had dark skin and unruly black hair on his head, two deep brown eyes on his face. “Where did you get that scout uniform?”</p><p>“I–T-there’s no time to explain! I need to get to the Temple!” he stammered and tried to pull away, but Cullen held fast.</p><p>“You’re not going anywhere until you tell me who you are and what business you have here, elf!” Cullen responded, tightening his grip on the man’s armor.</p><p>At a guess though, he was of a Dalish clan, and had either maimed or killed one of the Inquisition’s people for their armor so he could sneak past the soldiers. Judging by his accent he was a Free Marcher, and Cullen would most certainly like to know what interest the nomads might have in this gathering. The elf continued to struggle, trying to pull away from Cullen, saying, “You <em>don’t</em> understand! I need to get to the Temple of Sacred Ashes before it–”</p><p>All of a sudden, there was a loud rumble, drawing everyone’s attention to the mountain above, where the spires of the Temple could be seen. It happened far too quickly for the Commander to even process. One moment the Temple was there and the next it was gone, nothing more than smoke and ash, the explosion powerful enough to knock them off their feet, even at this distance. When he recovered, he found he was still clutching the young elf, eyes on the mountain.</p><p>Everyone in the valley was frozen in shock for those first few seconds, staring up at it, just trying to ascertain what had just happened. Cullen vaguely felt the elf grip his bicep tightly as he whispered, “I’m too late.” Then came a loud eruption of chaotic screams and cries in anguish. The Temple was gone. The Divine, the Grand Clerics, and any mages and Templars close enough to the blast to not withstand its destructive force. <em>Gone</em>. Cullen nearly fell to his knees in shock.</p><p>“Maker, don’t let it be so,” he choked out, then covered his mouth with a gloved hand.</p><p>Many more shouted in fear and confusion when the smoke cleared to reveal something in the sky, where the Temple of Sacred Ashes had stood. Some sort of swirling mass of energy, thundering and crackling in the distance. “What in the Maker’s name is that?!” Rylen exclaimed nearby, and at the sound of the Templar’s voice, Cullen was brought back to reality once more. There was an explosion, there was chaos erupting all around them, but there were people in need of assistance.</p><p>“I have to get up there!” said the elf, tearing himself away from Cullen’s grasp. The Commander let him go and quickly turned to Rylen.</p><p>“Lieutenant! Find Seeker Cassandra, then gather the soldiers and make your way to the Temple to search for any survivors!”</p><p>“Yessir!” Rylen didn’t bother saluting as he rushed to follow orders, and started toward the village gate. </p><p>Cullen then snatched up his shield, slinging the strap over one shoulder to secure it in place, then followed the elf through the frantic crowd. Whoever he was, he <em>knew</em> something, and Cullen was intent on finding out his part played in all this. He followed the head of obsidian hair as he bobbed and weaved his way through droves of people making there way back down the mountain, determined not to let the elf leave his sight for even one second, but it was difficult.</p><p>He made a beeline directly for the pilgrims’ path and slipped through the gate as Templars and mages were pushing through it to get to the village. Some of which were clearly wounded from the explosion, though their wounds looked mostly superficial. Bumps and scrapes from being knocked off their feet during the blast. But everything within the vicinity was charred and blackened with smoke. Cullen struggled to see for a moment, when yet another rumble could be heard and felt.</p><p>Ahead of him, the elf stumbled when the earth shook beneath their feet, but pressed on anyway, as if he hadn’t a care for any of the horrors surrounding them. The men and women injured or dead, frantic clergy huddled and praying to their Maker, or those that could stand helping to carry others back to the village. Regardless, the elf marched up the path with purpose, shielding his face from the smoke with his forearm. Behind him, Cullen was forced to do the same.</p><p>As they neared the second bridge, Cullen even spotted a group of mages and Templars, limping down the hill, helping each other along the way. <em>Of course <span class="u">now</span> they band together</em>, Cullen thought, pausing to watch them walk past for a moment, but then shaking himself clear of such thoughts and pressing on. Above them in the sky, the strange mass of energy continued to swirl, and ahead of him the elf continued his pursuit of whatever he believed to be waiting for them.</p><p>On the other side of the bridge he managed to catch up to him, and said, “We should stop and help these people!”</p><p>The elf turned slightly to spare a glance at him, but didn’t stop walking up the next slope of hill on the path. “Do whatever you have to, Commander. But I have to get to the Temple!”</p><p>How did he know who Cullen was?</p><p>Cullen grabbed him by the shoulder to pull him back. “This is madness!” he snapped. “What are you expecting to find up there, exactly? The Temple is in ruins! It’s all been destroyed!”</p><p>The elf huffed at him, smacking Cullen’s hand away. Then he pointed to the mass of green energy above them. “Do you see that, Commander?! That is a Breach that leads to the Fade! And very soon, demons that have been attracted to it will start spitting out of it from the other side!” Cullen’s eyes widened at such an admittance. “Now there may still be a chance of stopping things before they get too much worse, but I need to get to the Temple and see if anyone survived.”</p><p>“Survived?!” Cullen huffed. “Who could possibly survive that?!”</p><p>“The one person who can save us,” the elf answered, then continued walking, leaving Cullen bereft in the snow.</p><p>“Dammit,” he growled, clenching his fists. Cullen had no idea what was even happening here, but clearly this elf knew <em>something</em> about what had happened to cause this, and he couldn’t just turn back to Haven, as much as he wanted to. He glanced up at the sky. If the elf was right, and this strange magical construct led to the Fade of all things, they were in for a world full of trouble, and the fight had only just begun. With a sigh, he adjusted the shield on his back.</p><p>“You can’t go up alone then,” he called out as he caught up to the elf. And as much as the Commander would like to drag him back to Haven this instant and interrogate him for information, it appeared that this Breach was clearly the more pressing matter. “You’ll never make it there on your own,” he added as he started walking beside the elf, both making there way over the crest of the hill, to see the destruction on the other side. “Maker preserve us,” he mumbled.</p><p>The whole valley had been demolished, and any structure that had once stood along the path to the Temple proper was now engulfed in flames. Beside him the elf let out a shuddered breath. “Let’s keep moving,” he suggested, then started toward the stone wayshrine ahead, that had also been toppled in the blast. But they only made it several steps before there was another earthquake, and out of the sky shot a blast of green energy, that surged toward the path in front of them.</p><p>It landed close enough to knock them backwards, and out of it sprung a pair of monstrous creatures, screeching and clawing their way toward them. “Demons!” the elf warned, so Cullen drew his sword and shield as the other readied an arrow. So it would seem the elf was right, and the road to the Temple would be perilous for them. The elf fired an arrow, hitting the farthest demon in the eye, then drew a second arrow to finish it. Cullen bashed the closest before stabbing it.</p><p>“Demons,” Cullen mumbled as he wiped the sludge from his blade after the fight was finished.</p><p>“Yeah, demons,” the elf huffed breathlessly beside him. </p><p>“Who <em>are</em> you?” Cullen demanded, now that they way ahead of them was clear for the moment.</p><p>“I’m Jac–err…”</p><p>“Jack?”</p><p>He nodded. “My real name is Vir’assan, of Clan Lavellan. I was named for one of the Vir Tanadhal of Andruil. Vir Assan means Way of the Arrow. ‘Fly straight and do not waver.’…But Jack will be easier to remember.”</p><p>“Alright, <em>Jack</em>,” Cullen started, sheathing his sword, “How do you know what’s happened here?”</p><p>“That’s not important right now.”</p><p>“It’s rather suspicious that you know precisely what that thing is, and what those creatures were, don’t you think?”</p><p>The elf shot him a glare. “Well, regardless of how I know about it, isn’t it more important that I’m on <em>your</em> side, and I’m not trying to kill you?”</p><p>Cullen made a ‘tch’ sound at that. “The way ahead seems to be clear. We should keep moving. I know a quicker route to the Temple that’ll get us there faster.”</p><p>“Lead the way, Commander,” Jack offered, gesturing with his bow. Cullen sighed. But nevertheless he took the lead, boots crunching noisily in the ice and snow.</p><hr/><p>It took them a lot longer to reach what would eventually be the forward camp than Jacquelyn thought it would take. Nearly an hour, or at least it <em>felt</em> like an hour. They’d only encountered one more set of demons falling from the Breach before reaching it, but she guessed that this soon after it appeared in the sky wouldn’t be the issue. It would be <em>after</em> the sole survivor fell out of the rift and into the waking world. Then the demons would start appearing exponentially.</p><p>The Breach would start expanding much more quickly too, and if they didn’t manage to close it somehow, many more would die. But it was supposed to be <em>her</em>, or Vir’assan, anyway. He was the one that was supposed to sneak into the Temple and stop Corypheus from using the orb, accidentally setting it off when he touched it. Knowing what would happen if he did, Jacquelyn had planned to find some other way of more safely containing it, hopefully escaping with it too.</p><p>Then her only worry would be keeping it out of the darkspawn’s hands until she could figure out a way to deactivate it. Or maybe take it some place more remote, where she could open the Breach and receive the mark without killing thousands in the process. But she had been too late, as it seemed that the destruction of the Conclave was destined to happen no matter what course of action taken. Her only hope now was that someone else touched the orb instead.</p><p>That someone being Trevelyan, Cadash or Adaar. Jacquelyn would hate to think that the orb had been activated by Corypheus himself, and he simply didn’t count on the destructive force of the blast. Because that would mean a world without the Herald of Andraste, and then there would be no hope whatsoever of closing the Breach. Even if they could somehow steal the orb back from the enemy, only the Herald would have the ability to use it and reverse what had been done with it.</p><p>There was so much on her mind already that she couldn’t even think about the amount of dead bodies scattered about, or the Commander following her that was suspicious of her because she clearly knew what too much about what was going on for it to be a coincidence. But once they finally reached the base of the mountain, they could afford to stop to take another rest, in which Cullen chose the inopportune time to question her some more, to her frustration.</p><p>The sun was starting to set, and it was much colder than before. Jacquelyn could feel the temperature drop and her teeth started to chatter. On the other side of the bridge, Cullen leaned against the rail, catching his breath, and he also started shivering and rubbing his hands together. Neither were cut out for this sort of weather. “It’ll be dark soon,” Cullen spoke needlessly, but she found herself nodding. “We should wait for reinforcements. I have men on their way.”</p><p>“Cassandra and her soldiers,” Jacquelyn guessed, and Cullen nodded.</p><p>“Wait, how did you…urgh, never mind.” </p><p>“The Seeker was bound to investigate the Temple eventually, and search for her missing Commander.”</p><p>“That reminds me, how do you know who I am?” Cullen asked.</p><p>Jacquelyn looked him up and down, studying the scrapes and specks of demon sludge on his gilded armor, then shrugged. “Not that hard to figure out. There’s only one Cullen Rutherford that served as a Templar in Kirkwall, that I know of, and you happen to match the description.”</p><p>“Yes, if you were inquiring about Knight-Captain Cullen, or <em>Knight-Commander</em> Cullen, most recently. But you addressed me simply as Commander. How did you know that I now go by that title alone? Who sent you to the Conclave?”</p><p>Jacquelyn sighed. “Clan Lavellan had an interest in it. We wanted to know how this summit was possibly going to affect our kind. And we had a right to know. You don’t even realize how much of what you do actually impacts our people. Not to mention all the Templars that are constantly trying to drag our mages to Circles, or simply kill us.”</p><p>“But you’re only a hunter,” Cullen pointed out. “What would you know of the Fade, and the magic of this Breach?”</p><p>She fidgeted at that. Too much information would mean bad things, but not enough information was just as likely to get her killed, and Jacquelyn had a feeling that if Cullen didn’t get sufficient answers to his questions, he’d start attacking. And while so far, her archery lessons paid off in the long run, she knew she was no match for the lionhearted Commander of the Inquisition. She shifted in her spot, glancing around at all the wreckage, trying to find the right words to explain.</p><p>She never counted on the Commander following her to the Temple in the first place, and never counted on having to explain herself to anyone for that matter. “I know plenty. The explosion was caused by an ancient elven artifact,” she told him, to his alarm. “It was activated by very dark magic, and whoever touched it would have a mark imprinted on their hand that could allow them to manipulate the rifts. If they survived the blast, they’re the only one that can close the Breach.”</p><p>“So <em>your</em> people are responsible?”</p><p>“<em>No</em>,” she growled. “My people would never do such a thing! They never even knew of its existence. But it recently was discovered by an <em>evil</em> force with nefarious intentions, and I have to get it back before it does any more harm.”</p><p>Cullen narrowed his eyes at her. “And you know this…how?!”</p><p>“What does it matter <em>how</em> I know these things?” she asked him. “I’m trying to <em>help</em> you! And right now, whether you like it or not, you have no choice but to trust me if you want to stop this Breach from spreading and destroying the world!”</p><p>Cullen huffed at her. But there was no more time to waste arguing. The ground shook again, and this close to the Breach they felt it much more forcefully. Any minute, more demons would start falling from the Breach. Cullen got up from where he’d been leaning against the stone railing and walked over to one of the many dead bodies still scattered about. He picked up the sword that Templar would no longer be needing, turned it in his grasp and held it out to Jacquelyn.</p><p>“I hope for your sake you can use this. You’ll run out of arrows soon.”</p><p>She accepted the much needed weapon just as the screeching of demons could be heard. Cullen pulled a bit of flint from his belt and started lighting the torches that lined the bridge. While Jacquelyn might have less trouble seeing in the dark as an elf, the Commander had no such ability and they couldn’t very well fight demons in the dark. Then both stood back to back and readied their weapons as the sounds gradually grew nearer.</p><p>“We’ll hold this position until Cassandra arrives,” Cullen spoke. “Then see if we can’t clear a path to the Temple proper.”</p><p>“Alright,” she agreed, then fired an arrow at the nearest terror demon climbing up the wall.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. First Rule of Demon Hunting: Never Venture Forth Alone</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>So I got a little creative with this chapter. I figured it would be super boring if nothing happened before the Herald was pulled from the wreckage of the Temple, so I hyped it up a bit to make it more suspenseful. So get ready for demons, demons, and <em>more</em> demons ahead.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Cassandra closed the eyes of the deceased mage she knelt over, hiding her tears from Varric. They’d divided their forces to search for survivors, Cassandra leading one group, Sister Leliana leading a second, and Lieutenant Rylen headed up the third. Varric refused to be left behind at Haven, even though Cassandra had released him from custody and told him he was free to go, so he’d ended up following her, and when she urged the others go on without her, Varric stayed.</p><p>He came in handy when they encountered strange creatures roaming the hillside, what could only be described as Fade demons, using his crossbow to pick them off while the soldiers sliced them open with their blades. Though he grated on her nerves with all his sarcastic remarks about their circumstances. But at least he hadn’t run at the first sign of danger. Cassandra had to give him credit for that. But he refused to abandon her, when she would rather have a moment of peace.</p><p>She’d found Regalyan in the snow and lost her nerve. Dropped to her knees in part anguish and part disbelief to see with her own eyes that he was truly dead. She’d hoped against all odds that he’d been one of the mages to make it out of the valley safely, but in the end it was a vain hope. He’d been too close to the Temple to survive the blast. He never stood a chance. Varric watched her grieve, torch in one hand, crossbow in the other, as she knelt before Galyan. </p><p>Darkness had fallen hours ago, yet still no sign of the Commander. He’d disappeared after the Temple exploded, and Rylen had mentioned he’d been arguing with a suspicious looking elven scout. No one had seen either of them since, but that was not the worst of their problems. Since the glowing green monstrosity appeared in the sky, it had been spitting out demons left and right, and with each hour passing, they appeared more and more frequently to wreak havoc.</p><p>“I take it you knew him?” Varric asked, pointing to Regalyan, as Cassandra slowly rose to her feet.</p><p>“He was…a friend,” she answered solemnly.</p><p>“You? Friends with a mage? I never would’ve guessed.”</p><p>Cassandra growled at the blithe way he spoke. “Not now, Varric!” she barked, unable to keep the emotions out of her tone of voice just then. Varric didn’t fail to notice, and ducked his head.</p><p>“I’m sorry. You’re right, that was…” He sighed. “Look, we’ve gotta get out of here, Seeker. It’s only a matter of time before more of those things show up.”</p><p>“No one’s stopping you from leaving,” she reminded.</p><p>“Yeah, but I’m not about to leave you out here all by yourself.”</p><p>“Oh so <em>now</em> you have a care! Where was this sense of honor when I desperately needed to know where Hawke was?!”</p><p>Just then there was a rustling noise.</p><p>“Yeah, well when you’ve got me pinned to a chair and threaten to stab me–”</p><p>“Wait! Be quiet! I thought I heard something.” The two paused in their argument to scan the darkness for any signs of life, weapons drawn and at the ready. There was another rustling of leaves, coming from the copse of trees nearby. “Hand me the torch,” Cassandra grunted, so Varric handed it to her, adjusting the hold on his crossbow and aiming it. There was a loud screech, then something leaped out at them, flashing claws and snarling fangs. “A demon!” she shouted.</p><p>Immediately Varric fired bolts at it, but then a second demon appeared so Cassandra rushed at it, and several more followed. There had to be at least five or six of them, so Cassandra set to work flanking Varric and keeping any demons from getting too close while he picked them off from at a distance with his crossbow. But there were too many. One of them managed to get behind her and knock her off her feet. She braced herself for what might’ve been a final blow when–</p><p>FLASH!</p><p>There was a spark of magic lighting up the darkness for a moment, then a hand reached for hers to help her to her feet. It was an elven mage. An apostate, judging by his drab appearance. He threw a protective barrier around the three of them, then sent a bout of ice at the closest demon. When the fighting was over, Cassandra kept up her guard, not certain if she could trust this stranger, or if he might have something to do with the Conclave. “Drop the staff!” she barked at him.</p><p>Slowly he set the staff at her feet and raised both hands in surrender. “You have nothing to fear of me,” he swore. “My name is Solas. I was in the area and spotted the Breach from afar, so thought I could be of some assistance. I’ve seen such magic before. Though it was only a memory of it, in my journeys of the Fade.”</p><p>“The Breach?” Cassandra questioned.</p><p>“Assuming that’s indeed what it is,” he said. “It appears to be a rift leading to the Fade, from which demons have been pouring through, and I believe it’s soon going to spread. If it isn’t closed, it will only mean doom upon us all.”</p><p>“That’s comforting,” Varric mumbled beside her.</p><p>“We were searching for survivors,” Cassandra informed. “Have you found any wounded?”</p><p>“No,” Solas answered, shaking his head. “Only dead, I’m afraid.”</p><p>“What about a single soldier?” Varric asked. “Human, wearing a lion helmet and fur cloak. Answers to Cullen. He may have one of your people with him?”</p><p>“My people?” Solas blanched, confused.</p><p>“An elf, he means,” Cassandra clarified. </p><p>“No, I’ve seen neither of the people you speak of,” Solas answered.</p><p>“We should keep moving then. And perhaps…stick together. It will be safer.” She picked up his staff from the ground and handed it to him. “You’ll be needing this. But if you try anything, you should know that I am a Seeker of Truth, and I am <em>not</em> to be trifled with.”</p><p>Solas nodded once in understanding, accepting his staff.</p><p>He stayed within eyesight of the Seeker, as the trio headed further up the mountain.</p><hr/><p>Cullen slumped against the stone, utterly exhausted from fighting, laying his sword and shield beside him, then reaching to pull his helmet off next. It had been a constant fight to hold their position on the bridge while waiting for any sort of reinforcements to arrive. Jack had been useful, though clearly he had no experience with close combat. While a talented marksman with a bow, he had very little skill with a blade, and too often Cullen had to come to his rescue when overwhelmed.</p><p>The Commander wouldn’t bother at all, but the information the elf possessed was useful, and he highly doubted he could take on a horde of demons singlehandedly. But they wouldn’t last much longer like this. They had no food or water, and what few potions Cullen carried in a pouch at his belt, he’d planned to use only for the most detrimental of wounds. Thankfully they only had to deal with some minor cuts and scrapes from demon claws at the moment, but it was pure luck.</p><p>“I don’t understand. The Seeker should’ve been here by now,” Jack spoke, breaking the heavy silence between them as he glanced around. </p><p>“Something must’ve delayed them,” Cullen speculated. “Or they gave up searching.”</p><p>But at least their current position was as secure as they could make it. So far, none of those creatures appeared to have the ability to fly, so as long as they could keep them off the bridge, they were safe, at least until the Breach expanded again. Jack had explained that each time the rift grew larger, more and more demons would push through from the other side. “Well, there weren’t any smaller rifts on the way up the path,” Jack speculated. “I don’t know what could be keeping them.”</p><p>“Knowing Cassandra it was something imperative,” Cullen told him. “But I don’t know how much longer we can keep fighting like this. We should head back down. There’s nothing up here.”</p><p>Jack shot him a glare for some reason. That was another thing that concerned Cullen about the hunter. He seemed convinced they would find something at the Temple ruins that would give them some answers. But the way up was blocked by more demons that had fallen from the Breach, and they wouldn’t survive the fight to get to it on their own. Cullen could hardly believe that anything could survive the explosion, even if there were a safer way up there.</p><p>“There’s another way up to the Temple,” Jack told him. “A path leading to a series of tunnels. I think it was an old mine, or something like that. It’ll take us right to the Temple without having to fight so many demons out in the open. I suspect that’s how the enemy snuck up there in the first place. Not too many people know about it.”</p><p>“And how do <em>you</em> know of its existence?” Cullen chose to ask, to which Jack sighed dejectedly.</p><p>“I’ve…explored these mountains before. But it was a long time ago.” A flimsy excuse if the Commander had ever heard one. He barely looked old enough to leave his clan, let alone old enough to have traveled so far from the Free Marches. “We’ll have to be careful. If your scouts haven’t located it yet, no one will know which way we’ve gone, which means there will be no help coming to us if we get overwhelmed, and every demon in the area will be drawn to us.”</p><p>“I still think we’d have better chances if we waited,” Cullen said.</p><p>Jack shrugged. “Stay here if you want to, but I’m done waiting around.”</p><p>“And leave you out here on your own?” Cullen asked. “I think not. I don’t plan on letting you out of my sight for one second, elf.”</p><p>“Then we take the mountain pass,” Jack declared, shouldering his bow. He walked over to help Cullen to his feet, stretching out his hand, but the Commander ignored it. He would have no more help from this stranger than absolutely necessary. He stood on his own, plucking his shield and hoisting it onto his shoulder and sheathed his sword next. Lastly, he donned his helmet once more and gestured for Jack to lead the way, since apparently he at least knew where he was going this time.</p><hr/><p>Jacquelyn watched as the Commander lit the torches they carried with them and accepted the one he handed to her. Through a bit of luck and resourcefulness, they’d managed to locate the entrance to the tunnels and after an arduous climb up those rickety ladders, finally reached them in one piece. So far they’d yet to encounter any more demons, but neither had any idea of what to expect inside the cavernous maze. This was not like the game’s version of that quest at all.</p><p>“We should be careful,” she whispered, still amazed at how deep her voice sounded in Vir’assan’s body.</p><p>Rather than give her some snide remark, Cullen simply nodded, drawing his sword before he led the way through the dark grotto before them. It was completely empty still, but that didn’t mean there might not be danger waiting for them on the other side. “There appear to be footprints,” Cullen stated after a time, shedding some light on the floor. They looked recent too. “Human, or elven. Perhaps your theory was correct. They must’ve used this path to sneak into the Temple.”</p><p>“This must be how they managed to get inside without anyone noticing they were even here,” she said, glancing around.</p><p>It would make sense. If the Grey Wardens knew of this path, it would make it easier for them to safely go around the Inquisition’s forces and inside the Temple to capture the Divine. None would be the wiser to it. They could have blocked the entrances and sealed themselves inside the Temple, keeping out any mages or Templars that might interfere, with only a handful of clerics to contend with, while Corypheus completed the ritual. Only they didn’t count on the Herald being there.</p><p>But Jacquelyn wasn’t stupid enough to relay any of this out loud to the Commander. Firstly, who in their right mind would even believe the Wardens had anything to do with this? The order that was supposed to <em>protect</em> people from darkspawn actually being in league with one? Secondly, how was she even to explain to the Inquisition that she even knew all of this without it making her look suspect? The most she could do was drop subtle hints at what might’ve happened.</p><p>Of course, that didn’t stop Cullen from being suspicious of her anyway, but if she said too much, he was liable to put her in chains, or execute her on the spot. They continued through the cave uninterrupted for a time, before the ground shook again underneath their feet, and some chunks of the ceiling fell, kicking up dust in their wake. Luckily it wasn’t enough to crush them, and it didn’t block their exit, but it was enough to be concerning to both, so they picked up the pace.</p><p>It was still dark when they finally found the exit, so they kept the torches lit and searched for a ladder or a set of steps. Jacquelyn didn’t see any bodies strewn about, meaning Leliana had yet to send any scouts to search the area. But there was a rift ahead of them, the smaller one the Herald would encounter if they chose the mountain path instead of charging with the soldiers to get to the Breach. “Another rift?” Cullen asked, pointing to it, and Jacquelyn nodded.</p><p>“More and more of them will appear as the Breach expands,” she explained. “This one must’ve opened during that last earthquake. We’d better keep our distance and go around it. If we get too close or interact with it, it will draw the attention of demons from the other side.”</p><p>Having no other option but to listen to her, Cullen nodded and they continued on their way, the smell of sulfur now pungent in the air, as close as they were to the Temple’s remains. When they reached the section of the path that was entirely charred black, Cullen stopped them. “I highly doubt that anyone could possibly have survived this,” he spoke, gesturing to the path. “Anything within the area would be incinerated.” She rolled her eyes to herself at that.</p><p>“Ever the skeptic,” she mumbled, and continued walking.</p><p>Cullen placed a hand on her shoulder to stop her, but she shrugged him off.</p><p>“Come on,” she waved. “We’re nearly there now.”</p><p>The smell coming from the place was extremely awful. A mix of burnt ozone, sulfur and rotted flesh. Cullen stumbled at the sight of the Breach this close, gasping in surprise, not only at the massive rift before them, but at the devastation it caused, however Jacquelyn forced herself to continue undisturbed. There was no point in dwelling on what happened, and the only thing that mattered was getting to the rift at the center of the ruin and hopefully finding a sole survivor of the blast.</p><p>The Red Lyrium crawling up the walls put off heat, and Jacquelyn veered away from it, but Cullen on the other hand ventured closer, in curiosity. “Don’t go near it,” she warned, as he’d stretched out a hand almost as if he meant to touch it. “It’s Red Lyrium. Just like Knight-Commander Meredith’s sword. It’ll make anyone go mad that gets too close to it for any lengthy amount of time.” Cullen balked at Meredith’s mention, but nonetheless he quickly distanced himself from it.</p><p>He followed her through the maze of passageways that would’ve been halls before the explosion ripped them apart. It was eerily quiet without Corypheus’ voice saying things like, ‘Now is the hour of our victory’, and ‘Keep the sacrifice still’. Especially without Varric, Cassandra and Solas with their banter, as the Commander was deathly quiet and poised for battle with his sword and shield at the ready. Jacquelyn kept an arrow knocked as well, just in case they encountered anything.</p><p>Once finally reaching the innermost chamber, where the colossal rift sprang out of the stone and into existence, and seeing no immediate danger, Jacquelyn loosened the string of her bow a little and took a moment to look around. Nearby Cullen sheathed his sword with a sigh. </p><p>“As I suspected,” he said. “There is nothing and no one even here.”</p><p>“Yet,” she called, from the other side of the ruin. “Nothing <em>yet</em>, Commander. But they’ll be here soon.” She glanced up at the rift and pointed at the slightly darker formation of crystals shifting about at the center of the construct. “See that? The rift is closed at the moment. But it’s only temporary, and pretty soon it’s going to open again.” She turned and continued her search, finding only the charred remains of Chantry clerics in the rubble, and no sign of the Herald laying unconscious.</p><p><em>It was supposed to be me</em>, she thought as she slipped her quiver off to count her remaining arrows. In all likelihood they’d be met with more demons at some point, and it would do her no good to be unprepared. “I’m almost out of arrows,” she said, counting four left in the sleeve. “I’ll have to make them count.” She and Cullen met in the middle once more, then looked around. Cullen was just about to open his mouth again to speak, when suddenly the rift sparked.</p><p>“Get ready to fight, Commander!” she shouted over the noise of the Breach roaring to life once more.</p><p>The Commander growled, “I swear by the Maker if you’ve gotten us both killed, I’ll come back from the Golden City and I’ll find you and I swear I’ll–”</p><p>“Save it for after the Breach is sealed!” she snapped, then tightened her bowstring.</p><p>Cullen growled, but he did as told and prepared himself.</p><p>Another blast of energy knocked them both off their feet, as a group of rage demons sprang out of the rift.</p><hr/><p>The ground shook yet again beneath the Seeker’s feet, and above her, the swirling mass of energy expanded once more. Varric and Solas shared a glance beside her, and the three picked up their pace as they headed across the final bridge that led to the base of the mountain, where she could see Leliana’s people gathered. “Where are the others?” she questioned, sheathing her blade. Leliana turned and sighed. She was in the company of a handful of clerics and soldiers.</p><p>“Have more soldiers arrived?” the Seeker inquired, to which Leliana shook her head.</p><p>“They haven’t,” she replied. “I lost track of Rylen and his men hours ago. They must’ve gone west and run into another rift. I’ve just sent my scouts to search for them.”</p><p>“What about Cullen?”</p><p>“No sign of him either. He must’ve gone to the Temple, perhaps to investigate what happened, search for any clue as to what might’ve caused the explosion.”</p><p>“We need to get to the Temple.” She turned to Solas nearby. “This is Solas,” she introduced. “We happened upon him in the valley. So far he’s proved useful. He claims he has studied such magic in the Fade. He suspects that the barrier between our world and that of demons is breaking down.”</p><p>“And it will only get worse, I’m afraid,” he warned. “If the Veil is not mended, there will be nothing to distinguish between this world and the Fade, and nothing to stop whatever corrupt spirits might come through to this side.”</p><p>“Well, let’s hope your knowledge can aid us. If Cassandra says you can be trusted…” Leliana turned back to Cassandra. “The way ahead is blocked. We’ll need to take care in proceeding any further. Each time the Breach expands, more denizens of the Fade are pouring out of it.”</p><p>Cassandra weighed her options for a moment. </p><p>“Perhaps it would be better to return to Haven and start praying,” said a cleric, one that Cassandra recognized. Chancellor Rodrick, if she remembered correctly. A pompous bureaucrat that always sniveled and managed to get on the Seeker’s last nerve. She snarled at him.</p><p>“I found Rodrick on the way here,” Leliana explained. “He was the only one of the Divine’s entourage to have survived. The rest were too close to the blast. Now all that remains of the Chantry are a handful of revered mothers and frightened lay sisters.”</p><p>“And they’ll all surely die as well if we stay up here!” Rodrick huffed. “If your Commander is even at the Temple, he’s surely perished already.”</p><p>“He could not have survived an onslaught of demons singlehandedly,” Leliana dismayed.</p><p>“The Nightingale’s gotta point,” Varric added.</p><p>Though according to Rylen, he may not have been alone.</p><p>“No,” Cassandra shook her head. “I will not leave him behind.”</p><p><em>Especially when I’m the reason he’s here,</em> she thought. <em>I’ve lost too many friends already. I won’t lose more if I can help it.</em></p><p>“So, what do we do then, Seeker?” Varric asked.</p><p>“If you go, I will join you,” Solas offered. “If you believe there is still a chance he yet lives.”</p><p>Cassandra’s eyes passed over them, before she let out a breath to steady herself.</p><p>If it were Cullen, he would not give up searching until every man was accounted for.</p><p>“We go,” she said. “We find Cullen, and any others that may have survived. Leliana, gather what people we have left in the valley, and meet us at the Temple.”</p><p>“You are all mad!” Rodrick huffed, as he ushered the small group of Chantry sisters across the bridge, with two soldiers as an escort in tow.</p>
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<a name="section0003"><h2>3. When There is No Time for Introductions, But You Make Them Anyway</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Cullen and Jack made quick work of getting back on their feet after the blast of energy from the Breach knocked them backward, righting themselves and readying their weapons once more. They turned to see tendrils of similar such energy stretching outward, and grotesque figures popping out of the places where the light touched the earth. They were monstrous in appearance, seemed to be made of molten lava, flames emanating from their bodies.</p><p>“Rage demons!” Jack warned. “They’ll incinerate anything in their path!”</p><p>While his knowledge of demons was quite useful, did the elf really feel the need to announce everything and just how dangerous it was? As if that was supposed to be a comfort to the soldier. Nevertheless, he raised his shield and prepared to deflect a fire attack. They were lucky that only one of the four demons that appeared was relatively close, the other three were higher above them, and their movements were seemingly slowed as they trudged across the stone floor.</p><p>The rage demon towered over Cullen in size and swiped at his shield with visceral talons, which the Commander only barely managed to deflect. Jack pulled tightly on his bowstring to hit the creature square in the face with a resounding <em>thwack!</em> then instantly notched a second. Cullen tried bashing it with his shield next, knocking it off balance before swiping with his blade and severing a sizable chunk of its arm from its shoulder. Another arrow between the eyes finally ended it.</p><p>But they were routed, with nowhere to turn and the other demons closing in on them a touch faster than Cullen would’ve preferred. They were vastly outnumbered and outclassed. There was little hope of surviving this. There had been so much Cullen had hoped to do with his life after the Conclave. Now it seemed the Commander had lived out his last day. He braced himself for another attack, when suddenly there was the sound of a war horn blowing from above.</p><p>Jack and Cullen looked up just in time to see a volley of arrows arcing through the air, then landing on the rage demons that surrounded them. A voice shouted, and Cullen recognized it to be the Seeker, commanding the scouts to ready a second volley. Thank the Maker! More arrows came in a second wave to finish off what demons remained, and for a split second the Temple fell to silence. Then came gleeful cheers and shouts of exuberance. Cullen let out a breath in relief.</p><hr/><p>Far away from the Temple, yet at the same time still relatively close, as the place she had landed was somewhere in between, Ramira Trevelyan awoke and clutched her aching skull for a moment, feeling a sharp pain behind her eyes. She must have hit her head on something recently, though she had no idea what, as the last thing she remembered was walking up the path that led to the Temple of Sacred Ashes. After that, it was a complete blur in her mind.</p><p>She’d been so eager to attend the Conclave, as it brought so much hope to people that there would finally be an end to the fighting. She didn’t wish to be dragged back to the Circle of Magi, but neither did she wish to continue this war. All she’d ever wanted was to be a Senior Enchanter, and help young apprentices on their journey to understanding their gift, just like Senior Enchanter Lydia. That’s what Lydia would’ve wanted for her. She’d always been Ramira’s inspiration.</p><p>But Lydia had been killed when the Circle revolted, and in the days since, Ramira had been forced to fight for her life, being hunted down by those of the Templar order. She was so ready to put all that behind her when word of the Conclave had spread. She had such hopes of it bringing an end to all the madness, and faith that the Chantry would finally unite both factions in the effort of peace. But all of that was secondary at the moment, as Ramira had no idea where she was.</p><p>She slowly stood up and looked around, finding the place she’d entered to be very dark, gloomy and rather ominous. Not unlike her nightmares of the Fade, but instead of opening her eyes to see some twisted version of a place she was familiar with, like the Circle tower or her family’s home in Ostwick, she found this place to be entirely foreign to her senses. It looked like some sort of ravine, with a slope at one end that slowly ascended upward, and there was a light at the top.</p><p>She heard a noise behind her, the sounds of something skittering across stone, and gasped. Before she could even register what was happening, she was being chased by a horde of giant spiders! Maker’s breath! She scrambled to climb the slope, hoping that the light up ahead would mean an exit, and soon realized that the blinding shimmer was that of a woman. She waved at Ramira, beckoning her closer, and stretched out her hand to her. Ramira rushed to take it without pause.</p><p>That was the last thing she remembered…</p><hr/><p>Cullen looked up to see Lady Cassandra and Sister Leliana leading a small contingent of men. They’d arrived just in time to save their necks. But the fight was not over yet. Not a minute later, the ground started to rumble once more. “Maker, not again,” he groaned, then he and Jack turned to see what might fall out of the rift this time. But to the Commander’s surprise, there were no demons this time. Instead, what appeared above them largely resembled a woman, and she was glowing.</p><p>“Maker’s breath, who is that?” he gasped.</p><p>“Your Herald of Andraste,” Jack replied.</p><p>Beside him Jack surged forward to catch and then be crushed by the woman that fell out of the rift, landing on his back with an, “Oof!” as he clutched a dark haired human that had been guided out of the rift by the glowing spirit. Everyone at the Temple reared in shock. This woman was clearly no demon. Cullen was suspicious however, and kept his sword drawn, even though the woman was unarmed and barely conscious. She wore Circle robes. She didn’t need to be armed to be dangerous.</p><p>But Maker damn it all, Jack had been right. He’d predicted that someone would survive the blast somehow, and it appeared for all intents and purposes that this woman had been literally dragged back from the Void and dropped in their laps. Jack shifted to sit up and brush the hair from her face, studying her features. She had dark skin and hair as well, though hers was much straighter and shoulder length. But were they both elven, Cullen might have mistaken them for twins.</p><p>“Holy shit, Ramira?!” Jack gaped. The woman stirred a little, but didn’t open her eyes.</p><p>“You know this woman?”</p><p>“Sort of. I think she’s Ramira Trevelyan, of Ostwick.”</p><p>“We should get her back to Haven. She needs a healer.”</p><p>Cullen started to reach for her. “Wait, no!” Jack said, clutching her tightly. “She can close the Breach, Cullen! She should stay here. The sooner she closes it, the more people we’ll save. Solas can heal her.”</p><p>“Who is Solas?”</p><p>Not a moment too soon, another elf was approaching them. He, Cassandra and Varric had found their way down to the base of the Temple, leaping over stone and debris to reach them, and Jack pointed to the bald elf in drab clothing, carrying an apostate’s staff. “You’re alive! Thank the Maker!” exclaimed Cassandra when she reached the Commander, clasping both of his shoulders, relieved. “I had thought we might be too late. But it seems we arrived just in time. Who are these people?”</p><p>Cassandra’s gaze fell on the Dalish elf, clutching the woman he’d referred to as Ramira. “This is Jack, a Dalish hunter. And this…he claims to be the Herald of Andraste.” Cassandra stared for a moment, furrowing her brow in confusion and curiousness. </p><p>“Could it really be?” she wondered. “The woman, in the rift behind her…could that have been…” The apostate bent to tend to the injured woman, which was alarming to Cullen. When he moved, instinctively he reacted, brandishing his blade, but Cassandra held him back. “It’s alright, Cullen, he can be trusted,” she assured. “His name is Solas. He happened to be in the valley when the Temple exploded. He’s proven his usefulness and willingness to help thus far. He can heal her wounds.”</p><p>“This magic on her hand, it is unlike any I’ve ever seen,” Solas commented. “I can’t imagine any mage possessing this power.”</p><p>“It was caused by the explosion, and it can stabilize the Breach,” Jack stated. </p><p>“We don’t know that for certain,” Cullen said.</p><p>“There does seem to be some validity to his claim,” Solas informed. “This mark seems to grow in tandem with the Breach, and appears to be of similar origin.”</p><p>“If the Breach keeps expanding, so will the mark on her hand and eventually it will kill her,” Jack said. “If she should die before the Breach is sealed, you’ll lose your only hope of closing it.”</p><p>“Perhaps we should take her back to Haven,” Cassandra suggested. “Give Solas more time to study the magic.”</p><p>“I’m with the hunter on this one, Seeker,” said the dwarf. “Believe you me, I’d rather know what we’re dealing with, but we may not have time. Any minute now, this thing is going to start spitting out more demons at us.” He pointed to the Breach.</p><p>“We should fall back to the entrance of the Temple for now,” Cullen suggested. “Reroute when we have more information. Varric is right, it won’t be long before more demons appear, but we can’t just sit here, waiting around and twiddling our thumbs.”</p><p>“Cullen’s got a point,” Jack agreed, surprisingly. Cullen was taken aback for a moment. He didn’t think he and the elf would actually be of one mind on an idea. Surprising.</p><p>“Our soldiers set up a forward camp at the base of the mountain,” said Cassandra. “I will have Leliana meet with them, and see about gathering more forces, should we face another attack.”</p><p>Cullen nodded. Then he assisted Solas with carrying Ramira Trevelyan out of the inner chamber of the Temple and up to the main entrance their party had come through. Everything was perfectly fine, until there was another rumble beneath their feet and above them the rift split open again. This time, bringing another rift with it, this one blocking their path to the entrance. “Get her out of here!” Jack shouted over the noise of the rift crackling, drawing the sword he clutched to fight.</p><p>Meaning to hold off the demons while they escaped to the entrance. They heeded instruction and left Jack behind to get Ramira to the entrance of the Temple, the Commander gently setting her on the ground and leaving Solas to push more magic into her wounds and heal them. Then he surged back into the Temple, blade raised. He despised that pointy eared creature, but he was not about to let Jack fight off a horde of demons singlehandedly. No one was that cruel, least of all Cullen.</p><p>He arrived just in time to save Jack from a larger demon that had popped up behind him and knocked him to the ground. A swift strike of his blade brought the monster down, and a hand on his arm brought Jack to his feet once more. “It’s as if you’re attracted to danger,” Cullen growled as they regrouped, standing back to back to ward off the corrupt spirits hurling blasts of magical energy at them. Several scouts assisted them, providing range attacks while they handled the demons up close.</p><p>It seemed to take forever to dispatch of them, but even as they brought down the last, already the rift was expanding again, to unleash a second wave. </p><hr/><p>Outside the Temple, Solas furrowed his brow, wondering how the Circle mage even survived the mark on her hand for as long as she had. That level of energy would surely kill her, yet somehow she lived. Miraculously so, and it only took a few simple spells on his part to heal her wounds, as they were only superficial. Minor bumps and scrapes, a possible concussion, but little else. But even as she healed and the elf concentrated his efforts on reviving her next, they faced a major problem.</p><p>While the Breach itself had stopped expanding for the time being, there was a smaller rift nearby that was completely open and assaulting them with corrupt spirits of the Fade. Leliana had left to gather reinforcements, but Cassandra and Varric stayed behind with the scouts to assist them in the fight. There would be no hope for them unless the mark on the Herald’s hand could indeed seal the tear in the Veil, but it was a long shot.</p><p>Solas could not be certain the magic would work in such a way. It was not its intended purpose.</p><p>But the moment the human’s eyes were open, Solas said, “Come, we must act quickly,” and encouraged her to her feet.</p><p>“W-what is happening?” she asked, fearfully, brown eyes darting around, taking in the state of their surroundings.</p><p>“There is little time to explain,” he said. “But the magic on your hand might be able to help us. There is a tear in the Veil, and demons are pouring through it.”</p><p>“Maker’s breath!” she cursed, but obviously she was a resilient woman, as she asked no more questions, but merely said, “Just tell me what to do.”</p><p>“Follow me,” he instructed, and led the way to the rift.</p><p>She proved to be quite adept as a mage, even without a staff to channel her magic more precisely. </p><p>She held out both hands and spewed fire from her fingertips at the closest demon, incinerating it. While Solas did have some pity for the creatures that sprang forth, for it was hardly their fault such corruption as the Breach should turn them from a more peaceful path of existence, he couldn’t afford to mourn them, much less spare them. So the elf struck just as swiftly with his simple acolyte’s staff, casting shards of ice at them.</p><p>The moment the way was clear, and the last wave of demons was dispatched, he shouted, “Quickly before more come through!” and ushered her toward the rift. Then he took her hand and held it up to the tear and watched with fascination as it seemed to mend almost on its own, with no real effort whatsoever. As if that were precisely the magic’s purpose, and the Circle mage hadn’t the need to even exert herself. An interesting concept. Something had changed the mark somehow. </p><p>Though it did seem to hurt the mage. She hissed in pain afterwards, clutching her hand. “What did you do?” she asked him.</p><p>“I did nothing. The credit is yours,” he answered. </p><p>“You mean this?” she said, holding up her left hand, from which the magic crackled and hummed.</p><p>“You’ve done it, you’ve sealed the rift,” said the human warrior that approached them, now that the fighting had stopped. Cullen, Solas was certain his name was. “Perhaps this mark can seal the Breach as well then,” he observed, just as another elf approached. </p><p>“Stabilize it,” Jack corrected, causing the blonde to scowl at him. “It won’t close it completely, not without the same level of power used to create it, but keep it from expanding? Certainly.” The Dalish hunter seemed quite confident in that. As if he knew quite a lot about this sort of magic, which Solas found quite curious. Did he know what caused the Breach then? And who? Or was he merely excellent at deduction? “We should go, soon, before it expands again. We’ll save a lot more people that way.”</p><p>“I think I deserve an explanation first,” said the Circle mage, furrowing her brow. “What exactly has happened here?”</p><p>“The Temple was completely destroyed in an explosion,” spoke Cullen, gravely. “And you were the only one to survive.”</p><p>“Which I find quite suspicious, I must admit,” added the Seeker. “How did you survive, exactly?”</p><p>“I-I don’t know,” the mage answered. “I don’t even remember what happened. The last thing I remember clearly was running. Things were chasing me…and there was a woman… Maker…all those people…<em>dead</em>.” Her face contorted in a frown at the prospect of so many dying.</p><p>“It cannot be a coincidence that she is the only one to survive,” Cullen speculated. “With magic on her hand connected to the Breach?”</p><p>“It’s not,” said the hunter. Then he added, “That magic is probably the only reason she survived.”</p><p>“Who are you exactly?” the mage asked him. “I believe introductions are in order.”</p><p>“I’m Jack, of Clan Lavellan. This Cullen Rutherford of Kirkwall,” he gestured. “That’s Cassandra Pentaghast, the apostate, Solas, and that’s Varric Tethras, also of Kirkwall.”</p><p>“Wait, how did you…” the dwarf started, but trailed off in bewilderment.</p><p>“I’m Ramira Trevelyan of Ostwick,” the mage introduced. “I wish I could say it was a pleasure to meet you all, but given the circumstances…”</p><p>Cassandra huffed and said, “We should get moving. Jack is right. We’re wasting daylight, the longer we delay. Sister Leliana is on her way with reinforcements, should we encounter any more problems inside. We cannot be certain of what we’ll encounter.”</p><p>“At a guess,” spoke Varric, “More demons.”</p><p>“Where is Ser Rylen?” Cullen asked Cassandra.</p><p>“I’ve not seen him for several hours,” she answered. “Or the search party he’s leading. They must’ve encountered another rift in the Valley.”</p><p>“Shouldn’t we search for them?” asked Lady Trevelyan. “Your soldiers. If there’s another rift, and this is the only thing that can close them?” </p><p>“We don’t have time,” Cullen lamented. “Every second we delay, the more risk we take.”</p><p>“Then take me to the Breach. However I can help, I will.”</p><p>Cullen nodded, then he and the Dalish hunter led the way.</p><hr/><p>They were a curious group, that Cullen and Jacquelyn–or should she just say, “Jack”–led back inside the Temple ruin. Seeker Cassandra, Varric Tethras, and Solas in the flesh, along with the handful of scouts that had stayed behind while Leliana gathered their remaining forces in the event of a larger attack. Cassandra ordered them to take up position on higher ground while they themselves ventured lower, back into the craterous remains where the Breach awaited.</p><p>Now that the Herald had arrived, thus the sequence of disembodied voices began.</p><p>The Red Lyrium around them hummed and pulsated as the voice of Corypheus boomed all around them. Beside her, Cullen clutched Jack’s wrist in alarm, as the voice said, ‘Now is the hour of our victory’, mumbling, “That didn’t happen earlier.”</p><p>“It’s the mark,” she murmured. “It’s triggering memories of what happened here.”</p><p>They pressed on, and as they got closer to the Breach, the voice got louder and more distinct, coming from inside it. Once safely at the bottom, the hazy vision of Corypheus holding the Divine captive appeared. It was strange to see with her own eyes, rather than just as a cutscene in the game. But sure as day, the voice of Divine Justinia shouted, “Someone help me!” As a vision of her suspended in the air appeared. More distorted was the image of Corypheus, holding her captive.</p><p>“What is happening?” Cassandra asked. “What are we seeing?”</p><p>“Echoes of what happened here,” said Solas. “The Fade bleeds into this place.”</p><p>Then came the memory of Ramira, bursting into the chamber and asking, “What’s going on here?”</p><p>“Run while you can!” said Justinia. “You must warn them!”</p><p>“We have an intruder. Slay the human!”</p><p>As the vision faded, Cassandra turned to Ramira and asked, “Do you have any memory of this?”</p><p>“No,” she answered, shaking her head. Of course she wouldn’t. Her memories were taken when she was in the Fade. “I have no recollection of this at all.”</p><p>“Who was that speaking?” Cullen demanded, turning to Jack. “Who was holding the Divine captive?”</p><p>“His name is Corypheus,” she answered. “He’s the real enemy here. The one who opened the Breach. But he’s long gone by now.”</p><p>“Wait,” said Varric, holding up a hand. “Did you just say…Corypheus?”</p><p>Rather than answer, she pointed to the Breach. “You’ll have to open it again before you can close it completely.”</p><p>“Indeed,” agreed Solas. “This rift is sealed, albeit temporarily. But opening it will likely attract attention from the other side.”</p><p>“That means more demons,” said Cassandra. “Everyone stand ready!”</p><p>The party drew their weapons and braced themselves, as Ramira held her hand up to the Breach.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. And They Say, "The Truth Shall Set You Free"</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It seemed a little unfair that Ramira would have no time whatsoever to mourn those lost in the explosion, and barely even the time to process that it had actually happened. That the Conclave was destroyed, and that everyone in attendance had been killed, except for her. But there was currently a Breach in the sky, and her help was needed to close it. Once more her hand burned as she lifted it to the colossal rift and allowed the mark to open it, so that it could be shut permanently.</p><p>Nearby her companions readied themselves, for the moment the rift was open, demons would spring out of it from the Fade and attack them. They didn’t count on one of them being a Pride demon, however. It was startling to see the creature. Ramira had only ever encountered one in her dreams, and the experience was nothing like this. All claws, fangs and scales. The enormous creature now attacking them was more frightening than anything she’d ever experienced.</p><p>But the Dalish elf named Jack grabbed her wrist and pulled her back while the others fended it off. “Use the mark to manipulate the rift,” he instructed. “It will weaken the demon.”</p><p>She did as instructed, and instead of spouting fire at the Pride demon, she reached with her left hand again to pour magic into the rift. As she did, she could see for herself how the magical armor around the Pride demon seemed to dissipate, and allowed the others to strike more effective blows, bringing it to its knees. But interacting with the rift had an adverse effect as well. More demons, though smaller, sprang out of the rift, and headed straight for Ramira.</p><p>Jack did his best to fend them off with his sword, but he lacked any sort of talent with a blade, so Ramira cast a magical barrier around him and those closest, to help ward off damage. She set rune traps next, then hoped and prayed as she poured magic into the rift a second time. But it was short-lived, as the terrifyingly huge electric whip the Pride demon wielded swung their direction suddenly, and they had to leap out of the way to avoid it. Several scouts were struck down by the blow.</p><p>They were fighting a losing battle, what with the Pride demon wreaking havoc and lesser demons spilling out of the rift every time Ramira tried to interact with it in order to weaken the beast. There were only so many of them left. Cullen, Jack, Cassandra, Varric, Solas, a lone scout, and Ramira herself. Against a never-ending horde. If Sister Leliana didn’t arrive soon with more soldiers, Ramira wasn’t certain they would make it. </p><p>“We need to retreat!” she shouted at Jack, over the roaring of the demons.</p><p>“We can’t!” he shouted back, before kicking a demon away from him, then thrusting his blade to stab it.</p><p>But it seemed so hopeless to try. </p><p>It seemed that no matter what Ramira and the others did, the Pride demon just kept getting back up and attacking yet again, each blow more devastating than the last. </p><p>Though Cassandra and Cullen hacked at its legs to their hearts’ content, Solas cast spell after spell at the creature and Varric fired bolt after bolt. Nothing seemed to penetrate. Then Ramira herself was struck down. She failed to avoid the swipe of the Pride demon’s whip, and felt herself being knocked to the ground as millions of tiny needles prickled her skin, the lightning racing through her body like wildfire. She was disoriented for a moment, though not dead yet at least. </p><p>Her magical barrier kept the attack from being fatal, but she was confused as to which way was up and which way was down, her head aching and spinning. </p><p>Jack was attacked from behind when he tried to help her to her feet, struck down by a lesser demon. Ramira was on her own for a moment as Jack turned to fend off the beast and block its blows with his blade. If she could just interact with the rift one more time, Pride might be weak enough to kill, but she couldn’t get to it. There was a group of demons Jack struggled with, blocking her path. She weakly held up a hand to spout fire, but felt her magic failing her.</p><p>It was then and only then, when she was certain she would die, that she heard a war horn blowing, as a contingent of soldiers charged the Temple. The reinforcements they’d been expecting had finally arrived. A dozen or so of them scaled the walls to make their way to the inner chamber. Enough of them to contend with the lesser demons, and proved to be a much needed distraction for them, so that Jack could help Ramira to her feet, and get her safely to the rift.</p><p>One more bout of magic poured into the rift indeed made the Pride demon weak enough to strike down, Cullen swiftly delivering the killing blow. Then Cassandra shouted, “Now! Do it! Seal the rift!” So one last time Ramira stretched out her hand, concentrating her efforts on mending the tear, stitching it up with her curious newfound ability, but it was a struggle. Unlike with the smaller one at the Temple’s entrance, this rift was stubborn, and cumbersome, draining all her magic and stamina.</p><p>There was a flash of light around her, then everything faded to black as she fell unconscious again.</p><hr/><p>After the light dimmed, everyone stood expectantly, staring at the sky, weapons still raised, waiting for any sort of change. The Breach was still there, but it had slowed to a near standstill, all but stopped moving. Demons no longer poured out of the rift, and it appeared for all intents and purposes to be stable. Confirmed when the apostate named Solas, who neared the rift and examined it with a critical eye, said, “It appears to be stable, for the moment.”</p><p>“Meaning it’s stopped growing?” Cassandra asked, to which Solas nodded.</p><p>Many of them sighed in relief. </p><p>“We are safe, for now,” said the mage. “Though we can’t be certain how long it will last. Clearly something far more powerful than the mark was used to open the Breach, and it will take a considerable amount of magic poured into it before the rift will close completely.”</p><p>“Or something to suppress it, perhaps,” Cullen speculated, as he eyed the Breach as well. “Something to weaken it, allowing Lady Trevelyan to close it with less effort.”</p><p>“Something like Templars, you mean?” asked Varric.</p><p>“Perhaps,” said Solas. “But we should see to the Herald’s health first and foremost.” He was already bending to check her vitals, as she’d fallen faint in the attempt to close the rift. </p><p>Cassandra ventured closer and bent to check on her as well. “Will she be alright?” she asked him.</p><p>“I believe so. Though she is very weak. I would advise you get her back to that village down there, and allow her time to rest.”</p><p>“I suppose we can afford it now,” the Seeker commented. “Time to rest, that is. Commander, see that your men gather the wounded and get them treated.”</p><p>“In a moment,” he said, which surprised her, and she glanced up at him. He turned to the soldiers nearest where they stood. “You there,” he said to them, and pointed to Jack. “Arrest this elf,” he ordered. “I want him taken back to the Chantry’s dungeon for questioning, immediately!”</p><p>The men did as their Commander ordered, and snatched up the elf, wrenching his arms behind his back, to Jack’s utter horror at such betrayal. But the elf didn’t say a word, as if he expected as much from Cullen. He simply glowered at the man with contempt, and allowed the soldiers to drag him away. Cullen felt a tinge of discomfort at that look, but he’d made no promises that he would let Jack go free when this was over. But it was Varric that piped up in his defense. </p><p>“Whoa hold on, Curly,” Cullen sneered at the name, “He was trying to help us! What makes you think he’s guilty of anything?”</p><p>“You heard him earlier, Varric. He knows entirely too much for it to be a coincidence… And don’t call me Curly, unless you want it to be the last word you ever utter. I detest that name.”</p><p>“You can’t honestly believe Jack has anything to do with this, can you?” Leliana asked, rather skeptically, after watching the soldiers march Jack out of the Temple. Of course <em>she</em> would have some pity for the hunter. One of her oldest and dearest friends was Dalish, if Cullen recalled correctly. He didn’t remember much of the Warden, but he remembered Mahariel bearing similar tattoos, and remembered Leliana traveling with him during the Fifth Blight. </p><p>Cullen turned to face her, furrowing his brow. “He knew the Temple would be destroyed, and he knew there would be a lone survivor. He knows precisely who’s responsible for all this, and I refuse to believe he just happened upon this information by accident.”</p><p>“But this somehow makes him suspect?” The Nightingale countered. She pointed to the unconscious Herald and Solas nearby. “They could be just as suspect for all you know.”</p><p>“I agree with Cullen,” said Cassandra, coming to his defense as she rose to her feet and brushed herself off. “I’m certain we’ll get the answers we need in due time. But for now, let’s get this woman and the others to Haven. We’ll speak more about this later.”</p><p>Cullen was the first to concede, helping his men to gather the wounded, and Leliana was next. Surprisingly, Varric was rather helpful as well, though Cullen wouldn’t think the dwarf to be anything but self serving, based on his reputation. The apostate named Solas proved to be of great use to them, as they made the long, slow journey back to Haven, gathering the wounded, attending to the dead, and cleaning up the mess the Breach had made of the Valley.</p><p>Upon returning to Haven, the Commander received very grave news, and found himself outside one of the cabins at Haven that substituted for an infirmary, where Chantry sisters and healers crowded around cots, tending the injured inside. He hovered in the doorway for a moment, before finally forcing his feet to move, and slowly he entered to find Ser Rylen on one of the cots, having recently passed. He watched a sister close his eyes and bow her head in prayer, reciting the Chant for the Departed.</p><p>The search party he’d been leading encountered a mess of demons and were nearly wiped out, according to the survivor. All but Rylen and himself. He’d been seriously injured saving the young man’s life. The recruit, a Free Marcher lad named Flynn, carried Rylen back to Haven, but it was already too late. There was nothing to be done for him. Flynn, however, would be just fine, only suffered a few minor cuts and scrapes from a demon’s claws. Rylen’s sacrifice had not been in vain. </p><p>“Andraste guide you, friend,” Cullen murmured, saying his goodbyes to him, before the linen sheet was pulled over his face.</p><p>Losing him was like a kick to the chest. Actually, he would’ve much preferred just being kicked. Rylen was a good man. He didn’t know what else to do with himself, so the Commander processed his grief by getting to work rebuilding Haven, making sure all the dead were accounted for, and making funeral arrangements. He had soldiers lock the gate to the Pilgrim’s Path, leading to the summit, so that no one but Inquisition agents would be able to get to the Temple, for everyone’s safety.</p><p>He knew what to prepare for now, and assisted his men in fortifying the walls around Haven, should the absolute worst happen, should the Breach open again, and demons descend upon them. He didn’t venture into the dungeon immediately, and instead he let Jack stew for the night. The Inquisition only encountered more problems when the Chantry’s remaining clerics decided to speak out against the Herald of Andraste, accusing her of being the culprit in all this. Completely convinced she was to blame for the Breach.</p><p>As there were no other survivors of the explosion, it could only mean that Lady Trevelyan was behind it. Cullen and Cassandra weren’t convinced however. No one that was at the Temple when she fell out of the rift could be convinced it was anything other than the Maker’s will. The Commander couldn’t be certain of what he saw, if it was really Andraste that guided her out of the Fade, and remained ever the skeptic on that front, but Ramira Trevelyan had been the key to stopping the Breach.</p><p>Cullen couldn’t imagine her being their enemy after realizing that, even though she was a mage. He was still cautious, however, and posted guards outside her cabin. But he doubted she was as much of a threat as the Dalish elf he'd imprisoned.</p><p>All he could think of was how much worse it would’ve gotten, had they not been lucky enough to have a survivor with magic that could interact with the Breach. Had Jack been wrong about everything. Or how many more would’ve died had they waited, instead of acting immediately and allowing the Herald to make the attempt to seal the Breach. Cullen could picture such a scenario in his head. Of the Breach growing and growing until it swallowed the world.</p><p>Cassandra found him the next day in his tent, hovering over a makeshift desk, studying a map of Haven and absently checking off a list of preparations to make. “How are you feeling?” she asked him, when she barged in on him, which he took no offence to. </p><p>“As well as can be expected, I suppose. Is the Herald awake yet?” he asked. Cassandra shook her head. “Have you and Leliana interrogated our prisoner?”</p><p>“No,” Cassandra answered. “Leliana and Josephine are busy dealing with the Chantry. She has asked that you take part in the questioning instead. She also demands to know precisely why you’re accusing him of anything at all. She believes he’s innocent still.”</p><p>“And you?” Cullen inquired, tearing his eyes from the map to look the Seeker in the eye. “Have you any doubts?”</p><p>“I have no reason to suspect him of anything. But you said he knew what was going to happen, yes? He knew the Temple would be destroyed?”</p><p>“Yes. He also claimed that it was caused by some sort of ancient elven artifact stolen from his people. This… Corypheus, whoever he is, found some sort of device and used it to tear open the Veil. But how would he have come across this information on his own? And what would the Dalish even care what happens to any of us? They typically stay out of human affairs. The Hero of Ferelden was an exception only because he was a Warden. It was his sworn duty to fight the darkspawn during the Blight.”</p><p>“And had he not been a Warden, you truly think he would’ve been so hesitant to lift a finger?” Cassandra asked. “Some of the Dalish are not so complicit as you may think, Commander. Perhaps this Jack of Clan Lavellan is similar to the Warden. Perhaps he didn’t have a choice, or was mislead, thinking he was helping his people by serving this Corypheus individual, but when he realized what was truly happening, he came to his senses… Not unlike a certain ex Templar I’m acquainted with.”</p><p>Cullen sighed, kneading his brow, knowing full well what Cassandra referred to just then. “I suppose there’s only one way to find out, isn’t there?”</p><p>“Come. Let’s see what he has to say for himself then.”</p><hr/><p>That first night in Haven’s dungeon had been misery. Forced to sleep on the cold stone floor, and given nothing except a bucket to piss in–which had been very awkward to try to do standing up, and with guards nearby, watching–and for food? A stale hunk of bread and a single cup of tepid water. The guards liked to make snide remarks too, calling Jack a knife-ear or rabbit. One of them simply referred to her as ‘the elf’, but he was still rude.</p><p>It wasn’t anything like insults back on Earth, but for Thedosian standards, it was pretty bad, and she had no doubt whatsoever that she’d only continue to be treated in such a fashion if she was ever set free. Even if Cullen let her go, and let her join the Inquisition as an Agent, she would still have to deal with prejudice on a daily basis. She wasn’t special like the Herald of Andraste. Had Vir’assan Lavellan been the one given a mark of magic on his hand, she’d be treated differently.</p><p>She supposed it made sense though, that she would end up in Vir’assan’s body, instead of Ramira’s. She was nobody special on Earth either. She worked for minimum mage at a fast food restaurant, and the only excitement in her life was gaming and maybe drinking on occasion. She didn’t have a boyfriend either, and really no one that would miss her if she disappeared, which was kind of sad to think about. But she was nobody important.</p><p>And now she was left to rot, agonizing mentally over what was going to happen to her. She knew Cullen would be suspicious of her, but she’d hoped he’d at least give her the benefit of doubt, like he did with Ramira. That was another perplexing thought. That her female Trevelyan was currently lying in a bed in a cabin, destined to one day become Inquisitor of Thedas. She remembered her playthrough with Ramira. She’d been Pro Mage, and romanced Blackwall. That had been interesting.</p><p>She wondered if the real Ramira Trevelyan that apparently existed in this universe would make the same decisions on her own. Would they end up leaving the decision to her as to whether or not Jack would go free? Would they trust whatever choices she made, because she was the Herald? Would she even want to help Jack? All these questions bounced around in her head as she sat in that cell, staring at the bars, doing her best to ignore the guards.</p><p>She was filthy, exhausted, and so enormously frustrated by the time footsteps could finally be heard that meant two of the Inquisition’s council were entering the dungeon. She was reminded of that first scene in the dungeon with Cassandra, Leliana and the player character, as the guards proceeded to unlock the cell and drag her out of it, forcing her to her knees in the center of the chamber. Only it was Cullen and Cassandra. Leliana was nowhere to be found.</p><p>They towered over her and glared menacingly, the both of them. Cassandra looked especially intimidating, but that was simply her natural disposition, and Cullen because he was so unforgivably suspicious of her and no doubt completely convinced she was working for the enemy. “Leave us,” Cullen instructed the guards, so they filed out of the chamber one by one, leaving them alone with her. “How did you know what was going to happen at the Temple?” he asked.</p><p>She wracked her brain trying to come up with a believable answer. She had none. How was she to explain to them that she got her information from a video game? She really hadn’t thought any of this through, had she? But before she could even respond, Cullen cocked his arm back, and hit her square in the jaw, knocking her sideways. He then snatched her up by the collar and hauled her upright. “Answer me!” he demanded heatedly, inches from her face.</p><p>Blood now dripped from her nose and lip, and she was so tempted to spit it in his face. She expected this sort of treatment from the Seeker, but she didn’t expect it from Cullen. “I can’t!” she said, and he huffed, releasing her and letting her slump on the floor, clutching her jaw. “You wouldn’t believe me,” she added. She knew how insane it sounded. To claim she was from some other dimension, in which Thedas was a fictional world inside a video game. </p><p>It was impossible, even for their standards. And if she so much as hinted that she was a human woman trapped inside this body, no doubt they would think she was possessed. If they even so much as suspected she was an abomination, there was no way they would let her live. They wouldn’t take that kind of risk, and would only see her as more of a threat. “I can’t believe you actually hit me,” she said to Cullen. “Would you treat the Herald of Andraste like this?”</p><p>For just a moment, the anger in Cullen’s features subsided, and he backed up in step. As if what she said actually got to him a little. Cassandra resumed the questioning though. “Tell us who Corypheus is,” she said, obviously more concerned about the enemy they faced. Now that? That was a question Jack could answer.</p><p>“He’s a darkspawn,” she said, as she still massaged her throbbing cheek. “He was Magister before that. He’s been around for centuries. The Grey Wardens couldn’t find a way to kill him, so they sealed him away in magical prison instead, but he got free. He was able to get into the Wardens’ heads and manipulate them into helping him. He found an elven artifact he believed would tear down the Veil and open Thedas to the Fade. It required a blood sacrifice, which was why he was at the Temple. He meant to sacrifice the Divine.”</p><p>“A darkspawn, controlling Wardens?” Cullen questioned disbelievingly, starting to pace. “Are we really to believe any of this nonsense, Seeker?”</p><p>“It’s the truth,” Jack swore, vehemently. “He meant to kill the Divine and use her death to activate the orb, but he didn’t count on Ramira interrupting the ritual. When she walked in on it, the Divine used the distraction to knock the orb from his hand and Ramira caught it. That’s how she got the mark, and what also caused the explosion. The only reason she survived was because touching it forced her physically into the Fade.”</p><p>“But if everyone else died in the blast, how did Corypheus survive as well?” Cassandra questioned, as if trying to find a plot hole to exploit, to pick apart her statement. “Nothing could’ve survived, not even the most powerful of darkspawn.”</p><p>“This one could. He’s able to use the Blight to possess the corpses of Wardens and reassimilate his body, to piece himself back together. Like I said, he was Magister, powerful even before was tainted by Blight, and he’s been around for centuries. That’s plenty of time to learn all kinds of crazy shit.”</p><p>“This is madness,” Cullen remarked.</p><p>“Yet… he does not lie,” said Cassandra. “We both saw what happened at the Temple. How impossible all of it seemed.”</p><p>Cullen huffed again, shaking his head at some errant thought. “You called her the Herald of Andraste, yet you claim her receiving the mark was, what, some sort of accident?”</p><p>“That’s what the people believe her to be,” Jack told them. “That’s what she will become, to the people of Thedas. Because they believe the spirit that guided her out of the Fade was Andraste.”</p><p>“One last question then,” said Cassandra, stepping closer. “How do you know all this? If you had nothing to do with it, how did you learn this information?”</p><p>Jack sighed. “Alright fine. You wanna know? I’ll tell you. I’m from an alternate dimension in which this world is a fictional one inside a storybook and I know how it all ends.”</p><p>Cullen lost his temper again at that. “Enough of this!” he spat. “Let’s put him back in the cell. Perhaps another night in the dungeon will persuade him to answer our questions.”</p><p>Evidently Cassandra saw no reason to object, because all she did was nod her head and allow Cullen to snatch her up and march her back to the cell, then toss her in. She landed roughly, scraping her palm on the stone, and flinched when the door slammed shut. Then she heard a key turning, locking it. When she looked up, Cullen and Cassandra were leaving the dungeon. <em>Goddammit</em>. This was not going the way she’d hoped it would.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>To all the Rylen fans, I am so deeply sorry :(</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Guilty Until Proven Innocent</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>So, I really didn't mean to write such a long chapter, but...well, here we are. Enjoy.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Cassandra watched as the Commander massaged his knuckles, where he’d hit the elf during questioning, pursing her lips at him. They now stood in the Chantry proper, wondering what to do with the information learned. “Was I too harsh?” Cullen asked, and Cassandra sighed at him. Normally <em>she</em> would be the one to lose her temper like that. But Cullen had been quite on edge since the moment they entered the dungeon, and it was understandable as to why.</p><p>He was grieving Rylen as well as many others under his command that had been lost in the fight, but perhaps especially the Lieutenant, as he and the Starkhavener had already been friends before joining the Inquisition together. He’d transferred to Kirkwall and the two had worked together as Templars. Perhaps he took it out on Jack for he’d no one else to blame. It could also be Lyrium withdrawal making him testier than usual. Or his piling number of responsibilities.</p><p>Briefly Cassandra wondered if it was truly a good idea to heap so much onto his shoulders, but then she remembered why she recruited him, and how well he’d handled the position so far. As if it were natural to him. Finally she stole a breath and answered his question. Had he been too harsh? “Well, I can’t say I wouldn’t have done the same thing. I’ve been known for losing my temper as well. My trainer always used to say, ‘Cassandra, you're too brash! You must think before you act’.”</p><p>“I suppose I should have heeded such advice as well,” he said.</p><p>“Well, maybe try a different approach next time then,” Cassandra advised.</p><p>“So are we to believe his story? About a darkspawn opening the Breach?”</p><p>“Well, <em>he</em> certainly believes it,” she said. “I sensed no deception on his part. Maybe only recalcitrance. After all, he’s a Dalish hunter being held captive by what remains of the Divine’s forces. Elves see little difference at times between one faction and another. But clearly he sees the real threat, and is no longer loyal to this Corypheus. But my question is, if the Grey Wardens truly had anything to do with this, how would they even gain access to the Temple without our knowledge?”</p><p>Cullen thought about it for a moment. “The mountain path,” he said, then elaborated at the Seeker’s confused expression. “It was how Jack and I reached the Temple. An alternate path leading to some old caves and abandoned mineshafts. The exit took us right to what would have been a back entrance to the Temple before it was destroyed. Our scouts had yet to explore that area. We never knew it existed. That could have been how the Wardens snuck in.”</p><p>“Right under our noses,” Cassandra remarked. Cullen nodded.</p><p>“It would seem so, if it were true.”</p><p>“We should have been more vigilant.”</p><p>Before they got a chance to speak about it further, a certain dwarf that tended to grate on the Seeker’s nerves decided to enter the Chantry. Cassandra took another deep breath when she saw him, doing her best to heed her own advice and not immediately snap at Varric. She half expected him to approach them with some sort of complaint, as he seemed to have a habit of complaining about everything under the Maker’s light, but not this time around, surprisingly.</p><p>He strolled up to Cassandra and Cullen, then folded his arms, a serious expression on his face.</p><p>“Varric," Cullen greeted with a slight nod. “I’m surprised to see you in here. I would’ve thought you’d be in the tavern, drinking away your coin.”</p><p>“Nornally I would be, but...Have you spoken to that Dalish kid yet?” he asked them, and Cassandra would tell him to mind his own business, but she managed to refrain.</p><p>“We have,” answered the Commander. “Though his story doesn’t even make sense.”</p><p>“That name he mentioned,” Varric started, scratching his fiery red head, “Corypheus, he said. I’ve heard that name before. If that’s really who’s behind all this, I figured you might want to know what I know about him.”</p><p>“What can you tell us?” Cassandra asked.</p><p>He sighed. </p><p>“Not as much as I’d like to, but when Hawke and I traveled together, we ran across a guy by that name. But get this… He was a darkspawn. And I’m fairly certain Hawke killed him. No, <em>more</em> than certain. We fought Corypheus, and Hawke brought him down. I don’t see how it’s possible for him to be alive, or maybe it’s someone different, using the same name. But if Hawke were here, he’d be able to tell you more. He was connected to it somehow. Something about his father and some sort of ritual.”</p><p>Cullen shifted a little. “A pity you couldn’t tell Cassandra where he is then.”</p><p>“Well…” Varric wrung his hands. “Don’t get angry, but… What if I <em>did</em> know of a way to contact him?”</p><p>At such words, Cassandra’s eyes flew wide open and she clenched both fists in anger. Now it was her turn to lose her temper and she darted toward him, but luckily Cullen held her back, otherwise she might have strangled him just then. “You conniving little bastard!” she seethed. “You lied to me! You knew where he was this entire time, didn’t you?!” She tried to shirk away from Cullen but he held tight to her arm, and Varric backed away defensively.</p><p>“Hey now, before you go getting your breeches in twist, Seeker, I technically didn’t lie. I don’t know his exact location. Hawke didn’t want to be found after he left Kirkwall. He’d planned to put all that business behind him, make a fresh start, so he didn’t tell anyone where he was going, not even me, so that people like you wouldn’t go dragging him back into your mess… But he did leave a way for me to get a message to him, should there be some sort of urgent, world ending situation.”</p><p>“I’d say this qualifies,” said Cullen. </p><p>“I agree,” Varric concurred. “A hole in the sky, and thousands of people dead? Supposedly Corypheus on the loose again? I dunno, maybe this is just the Maker winding us all up for a damned good punchline coming, but your organization is gonna need all the help it can get.” He let his hands drop, and sighed at them both. “I only maybe neglected to mention I could contact him because your Seeker here wouldn’t even tell me why she was looking for him in the first place. I was just trying to protect him.”</p><p>“What the Divine wanted with Hawke is none of your business!” Cassandra snapped at him.</p><p>“Cassandra,” Cullen sighed. Keeping his hand on her arm, he said to Varric, “We never had any intention of arresting him. The Divine had only hoped to hear his side of events.”</p><p>“I think it was <em>more</em> than that,” Varric said, eyes darting back and forth between both humans. He crossed his arms again, regarding them both suspiciously. “Otherwise the numerous first hand accounts of the mage uprising would’ve suited Divine Justinia just fine. But you wanted Hawke to attend the Conclave <em>in person</em>. And if he’d been there, he would be dead right now too, along with the Divine and all her Clerics. I think I deserve to know why you nearly got my best friend killed.”</p><p>“If we tell you, will you contact him?” Cullen bargained.</p><p>“I already have,” Varric told them. “I sent him a coded message yesterday, as soon as I got back to Haven. But I think he and I both deserve to know what was so Maker damned important to the Divine that he should be dragged halfway across the continent.”</p><p>Cullen and Cassandra spared a glance at one another. Now that she’d calmed significantly, the Commander let go of her arm. She looked around the room to be certain they were still the only ones in the chapel at the moment. Then she finally told him the truth. “The Divine was considering him for a position of leadership. Hawke’s actions in Kirkwall made him a potential candidate. She wanted someone with notoriety, someone of merit. Someone the people would look up to.”</p><p>“Leader of what, exactly?”</p><p>“An Inquisition,” Cullen answered, and Varric’s mouth fell open in shock. They had yet to make the official announcement, so this was news to the dwarf.</p><p>“So, the Divine’s army, all these soldiers… You’re forming an Inquisition? That was your answer to the Mage-Templar war? An Inquisition?”</p><p>“It was a last resort, should the negotiations fail,” Cassandra answered. “A solution to the problem, if no other could be found. Hawke has been an inspiration to many, partly because of your book, but Justinia believed he had the potential to unite the masses under a single banner, that they would really to his cause. It was our only means of restoring order to the chaos, should the mages and Templars not surrender to the Chantry and return to the Circles.”</p><p>Varric shook his head at them both. “Hawke’s gonna get a kick out of this when he finds out.” No doubt he meant it sarcastically though. Cassandra couldn’t imagine Hawke would be willing to serve as Inquisitor of Thedas, not after hearing everything Varric had to say about him when she interrogated him in Kirkwall. But he was better than any alternative. Had some stuffy Orlesian noble with his head up his own ass been offered the position, Cassandra would be tearing her hair out.</p><p>Hawke had experience in battle, and talent as a fighter. He also had sympathy for the lower classes, being no more than a beggar in Kirkwall before he rose to fame. His family had been refugees from Ferelden, fleeing the Blight. He’d eventually made his fortune as a mercenary, but he was not unkind to the people of Kirkwall, and would often help others when no one else would. He was inspiration to many, even Cassandra herself. Though she would never admit it.</p><p>That had about as much of a chance at happening as the Seeker admitting she actually read Varric’s books… and <em>liked</em> them.</p><p>“So when can we expect him?” Cullen asked.</p><p>“You know how he is,” Varric shrugged. “He’ll show up when we least expect him, and probably right before everything goes to complete shit, just like always.” He turned to leave the Chantry then, having nothing more to say about it. Though he did turn back to say, “I really <em>am</em> sorry for stretching the truth, Seeker, but you would’ve done the same thing in my shoes, if that were <em>your</em> friend...”</p><p>She opened her mouth to speak, but he was already retreating, slipping through the door and out into the daylight.</p><p>She sighed when he was gone, and it was only her and Cullen standing in the Chantry. She was infuriated still, but at least she hadn’t acted on her feelings. Varric was still alive and now apparently they would be recruiting Hawke into their ranks as well. What Varric had to say about Corypheus was interesting. It didn’t invalidate Jack’s claim in any way, and if anything, only seemed to confirm it.</p><p>“Jack may very well be telling the truth,” she said. “If what Varric had to say is to be believed.”</p><p>“It doesn’t make him any less guilty, Seeker,” Cullen reminded.</p><p>“True, but he may know what our enemy is planning next. We just need more proof if we are to convince the Chantry that Ramira is innocent. We could use his help.”</p><p>Cullen grunted. Clearly he didn’t approve of the idea of releasing Jack. “Well, I suppose that will be the Champion’s decision then. If he is to be elected Inquisitor.”</p><p>“I’m not so certain he will even agree to it,” she speculated aloud. Then she glanced at Cullen’s hand. “You should put a salve on that. I’ll go speak to Leliana about investigating the Wardens. We’ll find answers soon, I’m certain.”</p><p>“I hope you’re right, Cassandra,” Cullen told her.</p><p>Cassandra hoped as well.</p><hr/><p>Cullen had done precisely as he’d been instructed, and returned to his tent to see to his hand. There was no sense in bothering a healer about it. It was only a bit of bruising on his knuckles, barely even visible. It smarted, but probably not nearly as much as Jack’s face. He didn’t know why he even let the elf get under his skin. But something he’d said during the questioning stuck out in the Commander’s mind.</p><p>
  <em>‘Would you treat the Herald of Andraste like this?’</em>
</p><p>Cullen wondered of that. How <em>would</em> he treat Ramira exactly, if she were in Jack’s place? If the Inquisition held her responsible, same as the Chantry. If it had been <em>her</em> kneeling before him in the dungeon, would he have brought himself to strike her down? Cullen felt a tinge of guilt, because he knew the answer to that. No, he wouldn’t. He would never strike the mage in such a fashion. Cullen had never personally abused any mages, despite what some might claim.</p><p>He’d harbored many prejudices against mages over the years, one of which was viewing each and every mage as nothing more than weapon, barely even a person, but he’d never raised a hand in anger at one. He could make all the excuses he liked, but the truth was, he was angry at Jack. He was hurt and confused, felt so much pressure trying to keep everything in order at Haven, and there was nothing to justify his treatment of the elf. </p><p>No doubt Jack assumed it was <em>because</em> he was an elf. That wasn’t it either. Cullen had nothing against their kind. Maybe it was the many ways Jack had gotten so personal with him, when they traveled to the Breach. Like he <em>knew</em> Cullen. Though the Commander had no recollection of meeting him, prior to Haven. Maybe it was part of his withdrawal. He had to admit he knew little about it, and he was still discovering new symptoms as the days went by. </p><p>But Cullen would have to be careful from now on, and ensure he didn’t lose his temper so unnecessarily like that again. It would be easier if he could just trust the elf, without a sliver of a doubt. He certainly trusted him to have his back at the Temple. But that was another thing that bothered him. Causing him to pace in his tent for a time. At no point did Cullen ever think that Jack would turn his blade on him. Not once, as they fought wave after wave of demons.</p><p>It was almost instinctive that he should trust the hunter with his life. And deep down, he wanted to believe Jack had nothing to do with the Breach. He just wished he could be certain, but he couldn’t afford to take a chance purely on instinct. He’d made that mistake before, trusting someone that hadn’t truly earned such blind trust, and had been betrayed. First by the mages at Ferelden’s Circle, then by Knight-Commander Meredith in Kirkwall.</p><p>Never again would he allow himself to be taken advantage of. </p><p>But perhaps there was yet another way to get the truth out of Jack… <em>without</em> the need for more violence.</p><hr/><p>That night, Jacquelyn sat in her cell, twiddling her thumbs, absolutely bored out of her mind, and restless too. That was the worst part of it. Having nothing to do to distract herself from the horrible thought that if she couldn’t prove that Vir’assan Lavellan was innocent, she may very well be executed. It was certainly legal in Thedas. She’d done a lot of executions when she played the game. And no one would care about some random elf.</p><p>But just after sunset, she was visited again, except it wasn’t an elven servant bringing her supper. Instead, she saw the tall, willowy frame of a particular redhead wearing a purple hood and Chantry garb, carrying a tray of something. It wasn’t just a hunk of bread either. This time, it appeared to be decent food. A bowl of stew to go along with some freshly baked bread, and whatever it consisted of, it smelled delicious and made her mouth water.</p><p>As their intimidation tactics hadn’t worked to get whatever information out of her they were hoping to get, they sent in Leliana instead, to play the role of the kind, concerned one to maybe coax information out of her that way, and seeing as the Nightingale was a master at deception, she was the perfect person to play the part. Better than Josephine, though the Ambassador would be just as kind, but they probably thought Jack wouldn’t be as forthcoming with a noblewoman.</p><p>She was supposed to be Dalish and supposed to be wary and mistrusting of all shemlen, no matter how friendly they appeared. Ready and waiting for them to stab her in the back whenever it suited them. But she didn’t know how much more she could tell them, when she’d already told them the complete truth. Which maybe she shouldn’t have done, but it was better than getting herself tangled up in a web lies she would later regret.</p><p>Plus, if they knew precisely what they were up against, maybe they could better prepare for what was to come. Maybe Ramira wouldn’t have to make so many tough decisions and sacrifice so many people along the way. She had no idea how much she would change by interfering with the plot, but what kind of person was she to just sit there and do nothing when she could save people’s lives? If keeping her mouth shut to avoid suspicion caused someone’s death?</p><p>“Open the cell,” Leliana instructed the guards, who glanced warily at one another.</p><p>“The–the Commander ordered us to–”</p><p>“To guard the prisoner, yes. And now I’m ordering you to unlock his cell.” She glared at them with a look so icy it could freeze hell twice over, which was enough to spur them into action. Obviously they were more afraid of the Divine’s Left Hand than they would ever be of Cullen Rutherford. But as soon as the door was open and Leliana set the tray in front of her, the spy’s demeanor immediately changed, switching back to a kind, sympathetic smile.</p><p>She knelt in front of Jack and handed her a vial next. Red liquid, obviously a healing potion. “Here, take this,” she said as she offered it. “I’m afraid we haven’t many to spare, but it should be enough to reduce the swelling and close the wound.” For all Jack knew, it could be laced with a truth serum, but there was nothing it could make her say that she wouldn’t already tell them on her own anyway, so she drank it down without a worry.</p><p>“The Seeker’s handiwork, I presume?” Leliana asked, as Jack’s face began to contort, first at the taste, that was something like a salted brick going down, then as her face began to heal. Jack shook her head.</p><p>“The Commander actually.”</p><p>“Cullen did this?”</p><p>Jack nodded. “Is he usually so rough with people?” she asked, as if she didn’t already know.</p><p>“Not particularly, no,” Leliana answered. Then she studied Jack as she started to pick at the tray of food in front of her, taking a sip from the bowl with the spoon provided. A little too hot still, but tasted good. Kind of like beef stew. “Do you know who I am?” the Spymaster asked her next. As her mouth was still full, she nodded her head in response. “Then you must know why I’m here.”</p><p>Jack swallowed her bite and reached for the cup of water on the tray next. Fresh this time, crisp and cool. She took a drink, then said, “You’re here to try to get information out of me by playing the kind sympathetic Chantry sister.” She gestured to the tray. Leliana chuckled a little.</p><p>“Is it working?” she asked, and Jack snorted.</p><p>“I dunno, depends on whether or not you have any crackers to go with this soup.”</p><p>“I’m afraid not,” she said. “Supplies are scarce at the moment and our menu is rather limited. This was the best I could do.”</p><p>“Well, still, thank you.” Jack set down her cup. “I’m not your enemy, Leliana. You don’t need to play nice with me to try to get me to talk. Just maybe keep your Commander from beating me half to death, that would be nice.”</p><p>“I am <em>truly</em> sorry for his mistreatment of you,” she sighed, then settled more comfortably on the floor across from her. “He’s been handling this whole situation rather poorly, in my opinion. He lost a very dear friend, and is still grieving. He’s hurt and confused. We all are. Scrambling to put the blame on someone, anyone really, and searching for answers. For an explanation to all this. The death, the destruction, and I often wonder myself, what’s the point of it all?”</p><p>“It’s not game,” Jack said. “It’s Corypheus’ doing. He’s the real enemy here, and I just want to help. If you let me go, let me join the Inquisition, I can do that.”</p><p>Leliana narrowed her eyes just then, when she said ‘Inquisition’. Jack gulped. No one was supposed to know they were gathering forces to form an Inquisition until she and Cassandra made a formal declaration. But she let it slide, and instead let her vivid blue eyes wander over Jack’s face for a moment, then said, “I find it curious that a hunter should choose to devote himself to Mythal, rather than the Creator Andruil, goddess of the hunt.”</p><p>Jack blanched for a moment. Oh, right, of course. She gave Vir’assan Mythal’s vallaslin. There really hadn’t been a reason though, aside from liking how it looked, a lot more than the other options available, and it would put an interesting spin on events when she got to the Temple of Mythal, but she really didn’t give much thought to Vir’assan’s character or the choices he made. She really only made him so she could trigger a romance with Dorian.</p><p>“You know a bit about my people,” she said.</p><p>Leliana smirked a little, but the smile didn’t quite reach her eyes. </p><p>“A friend taught me. He was Dalish, like you. In fact, you sort of remind me of him. Lathorian Mahariel.” Perfect. Another one of her characters. Her Dalish Hero of Ferelden from her Origins playthrough. “I always found it surprising that he would share so much about his people with me, an outsider, when usually the Dalish are very secretive. But we shared a special bond. He too was a hunter, though he worshipped Andruil.”</p><p>“Most hunters do,” Jack told her. “I just related more to Mythal’s teachings than Andruil’s. She is our protector. The goddess of motherhood and wisdom. Seeking justice for those that have been wronged. Vengeful, when she must be.”</p><p>“Interesting.”</p><p>After a moment or so, Leliana stood up and made to exit her cell. She directed the guards to lock it behind her. Obviously she had no more questions to ask, or she got whatever answers she was looking for. But before leaving, she turned to Jack and said. “You truly are an exceptional liar, Jack of Clan Lavellan. You would’ve made an excellent spy, had I recruited you, instead of Corypheus.” She then turned to walk away. Jack stood up, gripping the bars of her cell.</p><p>“I never worked with Corypheus!” she said. “He wouldn’t even recognize me if he saw me. None of his people would!”</p><p>“Then who, pray tell, were you working for?”</p><p>Jack sighed. She had no answer to that. Seeming satisfied with this, Leliana left the dungeon, and Jack alone, to contemplate her situation.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. One Man's Heretic Is Another Man's Herald</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The following day, Ramira opened her eyes to find herself laying in a cabin at Haven. Confused at first as to why she was in that bed, until she recalled everything that had happened. She had awakened to find the world in complete chaos, the Temple of Sacred Ashes destroyed, and a Breach in the sky, threatening to end them all. She’d been absolutely terrified, but she’d done all she could to help what remained of the Chantry and had attempted to seal the Breach with the mark on her hand.</p><p>Had it worked? Had she even been able to help them at all? Was the Breach still in the sky?</p><p>The mark was certainly still on her hand. She noticed it sparking to life the moment she sat up. It no longer hurt though, just left this tingly numb feeling in her hand, almost like it fell asleep. She cradled it, staring at the eerie green glow, just as a young elven maid entered the cabin. She was startled to find Ramira awake, and dropped the items she was carrying. “Maker’s breath, are you alright?” Ramira asked, but as she stood up to help her, the elf dropped to her knees.</p><p>“My Lady Herald,” she addressed, reverently, bowing her head. </p><p>“What?” Ramira gaped. Herald? Herald of what? “What is going on? Why are you calling me that?”</p><p>“They say you saved us, m’lady,” the elf explained as she slowly rose to her feet, nervously wringing her hands, as if frightened of Ramira, or cautious maybe, but not wishing to offend. “The Breach has stopped growing, because of that mark on your hand. It’s all anyone is talking about.”</p><p>“Ah, I see,” she nodded. “So it must’ve worked then.”</p><p>“I-I don’t know m’lady, that’s just what they’re saying. I don’t know anything about it. Lady Cassandra will want to see you, now that you’re awake. She said, ‘to the Chantry, at once’.” The elven maiden started to back away toward the door.</p><p>“Wait–”</p><p>“A-at once! She said.” She ran out of the room and burst through the door, shouting, “The Herald is awake!” to whoever was outside waiting. Ramira sighed and looked around the room. She was no longer wearing her Circle robes, which was a blessing. She hated those. Instead, one of the healers dressed her in a simple cotton tunic and pants, with matching boots, the sort of clothing meant to wear under armor, and there was a set nearby for her to put on.</p><p>She left the cart of elfroot and dawn lotus the elf had dropped, and reached for the armor on the chest. Leather bracers and greaves to lace up her arms and legs over her clothes, a matching leather jerkin with a belt and scarf, no doubt to compensate for the chilly Frostback weather. It was a good fit, and she’d have to remember to thank whoever crafted it for her. She was given a spell book and a new staff as well, simple in design, probably an acolyte’s staff.</p><p>Whoever left these items for her had meant for her to use them. No doubt the fighting wasn’t over yet, even if the Breach was somewhat stable. She had a feeling she’d be dealing with demons again in her near future, so she strapped the tome to her belt and lashed the staff to her back before leaving the cabin in search of Haven’s Chantry and the Seeker of Truth. When she wandered outside, she could see what all the fuss was about. Hundreds of people gathered, and cheered when they saw her.</p><p>She was a hero to them, obviously. Ramira blinked in surprise at all the soldiers and pilgrims that shouted her praise. Even though she was an apostate, they didn’t fear her, but rather the guards had to hold back the mob to keep them from overwhelming her trying to congratulate her. They called her the Herald of Andraste. Ramira nervously shuffled along, up the steps in search of the entrance to the large stone chapel at the top of the hill, trying to avoid making eye contact.</p><p>This was all very strange to her. All her life she’d been hated and feared for being a mage. And now these people looked at her like she was some sort of savior or prophet. When she reached the top of the hill, before entering the Chantry, she glanced back at the sky above, and the Breach still swirling in the distance. Nothing came out of it, and there were no demons crashing to the earth and wreaking havoc. All seemed relatively still. But obviously this wasn’t over yet.</p><p>She pushed her way through the door and stepped inside the chapel. While Haven was overcrowded and a loud, rambunctious mess of people, inside the Chantry was empty and relatively quiet. Except for two voices that shouted behind the closed door at the far end of the room. Ramira crept closer to listen in on the conversation. It sounded like it was about her. She recognized one of the voices. That of Lady Cassandra Pentaghast. Seeker of Truth and Right Hand to the Divine.</p><p>“Have you gone completely mad?!” a male voice had been saying. “She should be taken to Val Royeaux immediately! To be tried by whomever becomes Divine!”</p><p>To which Cassandra replied, “I do not believe she is guilty!”</p><p>“The apostate <em>failed</em>, Seeker! The Breach is still in the sky! For all you know, she intended it this way!”</p><p>“I do <em>not</em> believe that!”</p><p>“That is not for you to decide! Your duty is to serve the Chantry!”</p><p>“My duty is to serve the principles on which the Chantry was founded, Chancellor, as is yours!”</p><p>Oh. Well apparently not everyone thought she was a hero then. Obviously someone in the Chantry thought she was responsible for the Breach. Made sense, she supposed. She was an apostate, and she was the only one to survive the explosion. That did look pretty suspicious. If only she could remember what happened, how she survived, but everything was a complete blank still. She didn’t even remember being at the Temple, much less remember how she got the mark.</p><p>She decided at that moment to open the door and walk in on conversation. The man in Chantry garb, said, “Chain her!” Pointing to Ramira, and the two guards that were with them drew their blades. “I want her prepared for travel to the capital for trial!” he ordered. He was wearing the robes of the Grand Chancellor, if she recalled correctly. Roderick was his name. He hadn’t the authority of a Grand Cleric, was little more than a glorified clerk, but he was still quite influential.</p><p>“Disregard that and leave us!” Cassandra told them. They did as instructed, sheathed their weapons and left the room, closing the door behind them. Ramira folded her arms and let her eyes rake over the man. Then Cassandra. She also noticed someone else in the room. This woman she wasn’t as knowledgeable of, despite how much the Chantry hierarchy had been drilled into her at the Circle. But she presumed this was Sister Leliana. Better known as the Nightingale. Also one of Justinia’s most trusted allies.</p><p>“You walk a dangerous line, Seeker!” the Chancellor threatened.</p><p>“The Breach is stable, but it is still a threat,” she reminded. “I will <em>not</em> ignore it!”</p><p>“I did everything I could to stop the Breach,” Ramira told him. “I nearly died just trying to stabilize it.”</p><p>“Yet you live!” he said. “A convenient result insofar as you’re concerned.”</p><p>“Have a care, Chancellor,” the Seeker warned. “The Breach is not the only threat we face!”</p><p>“Someone was behind the explosion at the Conclave,” said Leliana. “Someone Most Holy did not expect. And perhaps his allies are right under our noses.” The Chancellor seemed to take personal offense to the way she glared at him. </p><p>“I am a suspect?!” he blanched.</p><p>“You and many others,” she said. </p><p>“But <em>not</em> the apostate?”</p><p>“I heard the voices at the Temple,” said Cassandra. “The Divine called to her for help. And whoever was behind all this wanted Ramira dead.”</p><p>“So her survival, that thing on her hand, all a coincidence then?” Roderick asked.</p><p>“No,” Cassandra answered, shaking her head. “It was not a coincidence. Whether accidental, or by design, however she received it, the mark on her hand was what kept her alive. It was the reason she survived.”</p><p>“Then how do you suppose she obtained it, hmm?” he questioned.</p><p>“Providence,” she said. “The Maker sent her to us in our darkest hour.”</p><p>Ramira lifted a brow. “You really think the Maker would send someone like me?”</p><p>“The Maker does as he will. It is not for me to say.”</p><p>“But an apostate?” Ramira argued. “As his Chosen?”</p><p>“True, these are strange circumstances, but I will not pretend you weren’t exactly what we needed, when we needed it.”</p><p>“The Breach is still in the sky,” said Leliana. “And your mark is still out only hope of closing it.”</p><p>“That is not for you to decide!” argued Roderick. </p><p>At such words, clearly the Seeker had heard enough. She grabbed a rather fancy looking tome with the Chantry’s sun symbol emblazoned on it, and slammed the book on the table, startling him. </p><p>“You know what this is, Chancellor,” she said, pointing to it. He gulped. “A writ from the Divine, granting us the authority to act! As of this moment, I declare the Inquisition reborn!” She started toward him, jabbing her finger at his chest, as she said, “We <em>will</em> close the Breach, we <em>will</em> find those responsible, and we <em>will</em> restore order, with or without your approval!” The Chancellor could only huff at all this, completely flustered by the Seeker’s angry declaration.</p><p>He marched out of the room and slammed the door, with nothing more to be said.</p><p>“This is the Divine’s directive,” said Leliana. “Rebuild the Inquisition of old. Find those who will stand against the chaos. But we aren’t ready. We have no leader, no numbers, and now, no Chantry support.”</p><p>“But we have her,” said Cassandra, turning to Ramira. “And we know who is behind all this. With your help, we will close the Breach, and restore order.”</p><p>“Who do you suspect is responsible?” she asked them.</p><p>“We believe it to be a creature called Corypheus,” said Leliana. “We suspect the hunter named Jack was working with him, but he refuses to tell more until he’s released.”</p><p>“You’re holding him captive?” Ramira questioned, skeptical of this decision. From her point of view, Jack had done nothing wrong. “But he saved my life. Without his help, I would have died before I was able to stabilize the Breach.”</p><p>“It’s true, that he seemed to have a change of heart when he decided to help us,” relented the Seeker, “But it in no way means that he is innocent in all this.”</p><p>“He knows far too much about what happened for it to be a coincidence,” Leliana added. “But we do face a larger problem by holding him captive. The people might feel justified in blaming any and all elves for the Breach, and keeping him prisoner will anger the Dalish.”</p><p>“Well, did the elves actually have anything to do with it?” Ramira asked.</p><p>They shook their heads. “We don’t believe so,” said Cassandra. “The artifact that was used to open the Breach was stolen from their people by Corypheus. It could be that Jack had been sent by his clan to recover it, and was somehow convinced to join his side. Perhaps through blood magic, or perhaps the lives of his clansmen were threatened if he didn’t comply. Though we can’t confirm this. We haven’t managed to get in touch with Clan Lavellan either.”</p><p>“Why not give him a chance?” Ramira asked them. “If he seems willing to help us now? If he has any knowledge of what you face, shouldn’t you use that? You were certainly willing to trust me, an apostate and fugitive of the Chantry. Why not give him the same benefit of doubt?”</p><p>“He refuses to tell us anything still,” said Leliana. “Not until he’s released, and he could still be a threat.”</p><p>“Well, maybe I can speak to him?”</p><p>“You’d have to convince Commander Cullen first.”</p><p>“And we have more immediate problems,” Leliana told her. “No doubt the Chancellor will convince the Chantry to withdraw their support, and both the mages and Templars have returned to Ferelden as well. Each side is blaming the other for the Divine’s death and have resumed fighting. We’ll need either side to close the Breach. To make matters even worse, it appears that the Grey Wardens have also disappeared, and it’s possible they’re connected to events.”</p><p>“Well, just tell me how I can help,” Ramira said.</p><p>“We should gather the other advisors first,” said Cassandra. “Leliana, send word to Ferelden and have Lady Josephine write to her contacts Val Royeaux. Word of the Inquisition must spread before it can grow. And have Cullen post a formal declaration on the Chantry’s door. The people must be told.”</p><p>The Spymaster nodded her head and left the room.</p><p>“In the meantime, let’s get you more familiar with Haven.”</p><hr/><p>Ramira sucked in a nervous breath as once more she entered the Chantry, this time with Cassandra at her side. The announcement had been made, and all of Haven was no aware that the Inquisition was being formed. The council waited in the central chamber to discuss with Ramira what would happen next, and she was a bit unsettled by everything. It seemed everyone was looking to her for answers, since she was the one with the mark on her hand, and they had no leader still.</p><p>No Inquisitor, and they couldn’t even be certain that the man they’d hoped would fill the position would even be willing. The Champion of Kirkwall, Cassandra had said. He went missing after the mage rebellion began, and they’d had some trouble finding him. But he also knew about Corypheus, had fought him before, and could maybe give them more information on how to defeat him, if such a thing were possible. But for now, the Herald of Andraste was their answer.</p><p>She didn’t know how she was supposed to do all this, gather allies, close the Breach and find Corypheus. She kept her fingers crossed, metaphorically speaking, as Cassandra lead her through the Chantry. Then she rubbed her hand, where the mark left a tingling sensation. But no matter how much she massaged it, it never went away. “Does it bother you?” Cassandra asked, stopping in front of the door and glancing down at her hand. At least the mark was calm and didn’t spark randomly to life.</p><p>“Well, it doesn’t hurt anymore,” she answered. “I suppose the Breach being stable has something to do with that.”</p><p>“We’ll take what victories we can,” the Seeker remarked. Then she sighed. “Solas believes that with more power added to the mark, a second attempt might close it completely.”</p><p>“And how do you suppose we get more power?” she asked.</p><p>“Well, we shall soon find out, won’t we?”</p><p>Cassandra pushed the door open and ushered her into the room. The woman she recognized as Leliana was inside, as well as Commander Cullen, who she remembered meeting at the Breach. And there was a third person inside, wearing a blue and gold silk frock and carrying a notepad with a candle perched atop for proper light and long intricate quill. She was very pretty, with glittering eyes and a warm friendly smile. They all seemed relatively friendly, actually.</p><p>She would probably never get used to this. People actually trusting her, instead of being wary, and staring at her like she was an abomination. But they believed she was some sort of savior. That she was the key to stopping the Breach. Cassandra introduced her formally to everyone present. Sister Leliana, Ser Cullen and Lady Josephine, the Inquisition’s advisers. They would be assisting her in whatever capacity, each of them assigned their own tasks.</p><p>Cullen would be in charge of their troops, any soldiers under their command, and would lead them in battle. Lady Josephine was their Ambassador and in charge of dealing with any political issues and any nobility. Before joining them, she worked for Empress Celene, though she was from Antiva originally. Leliana was their Spymaster, and would deal with any sort of espionage related to the Inquisition. Cassandra had relegated herself to Ramira’s companion in battle.</p><p>There were more rifts throughout the valley that needed closing, and Ramira would need a good reliable team of Agents to travel with her and help her fight. The elven apostate, Solas, and the dwarf from Kirkwall had also offered their services. She was then told in greater detail precisely what she was up against. According to the Dalish hunter currently in captivity, this person called Corypheus was a darkspawn that had somehow gained control of Wardens.</p><p>It would take an army to bring him down. An army they didn’t have. Not so long as the Chantry stood idly by and labeled them heretics, and the mages and Templars continued fighting. But though many Clerics had returned to the Grand Cathedral, there were several that had stayed in Ferelden, to do the Chantry’s <em>real</em> duty, assisting refugees of the War in the Hinterlands. They were led by Mother Giselle, and if they had hope of swaying the Clerics, they would need her help.</p><p>“So, what about this Jack?” Ramira questioned, after the advisers brought her up to speed. “Do you think he could be persuaded to tell us more? Perhaps if we let him go free, offer a pardon maybe.”</p><p>“He can’t be trusted,” said Cullen, immediately striking down the notion.</p><p>“Well you certainly seemed to trust him when the Breach was spitting out demons.”</p><p>He sighed. “We had no choice. He was the only one that seemed to know anything about what was happening.”</p><p>“Well you can’t very well gain his trust by keeping him locked up in a cell. He probably thinks you’ll execute him, and he’s an elf. His kind are already mistrusting of humans because of their poor treatment. It won’t make the situation any better. Trust me, I know how it feels to be kept in a cage, and if you have a care, you’ll let him go free.” Cullen frowned at all that. But he didn’t argue. She glanced around the room. “Shall we take a vote on it then?” she asked them.</p><p>There was a long bout of silence at that, as all eyes focused on Cullen. No one else saw a reason to object, but clearly the Commander did. Again, he sighed. Then he reached into a pouch at his belt. He held out a key. “The key to his cell,” he said. “If he is to be released, he is not to leave Haven. Not until we can be sure he won’t try to escape. And he is to be kept under strict supervision at all times.” Ramira gladly accepted the key. “I’ll show you to the dungeon then.”</p><p>He waved for her to follow him out of the room.</p><p>Downstairs, in the Chantry’s dungeon, it was so dark and gloomy, and Ramira was instantly reminded of the Circle. Ostwick wasn’t that bad compared to some places, and some of the stories she’d been told by others of places like the White Spire and the Gallows in Kirkwall, but it was no summer house. There were no windows, no other entrances or exits save for the main gate, and no privacy. The dormitories didn’t have doors on them, so that Templars could keep tabs on them at all times.</p><p>No one was allowed to leave either. In every way, it <em>was</em> a prison, but Ramira had always been told it was the safest place for her to be. Mages were a danger to society and Circles were meant to keep the outside world safe from them, as well as keep mages safe from the outside world and its corruption. A place for them to safely learn to control their powers, and believed to be the only place someone like Ramira would ever truly belong.</p><p>She shuddered at the resemblance to the dungeon she’d entered.</p><p>Cullen wouldn’t allow her to go alone, and accompanied her to the far end of the chamber, where Jack slumped on the stone floor of his cell. He looked dreadful. Ramira wondered if they’d been feeding him properly, because he looked half starved. And she was utterly furious at the Commander when she saw the cut on Jack’s lip. Someone had hit him, and judging by the hateful glare he shot Cullen’s direction the moment they made eye contact, she didn’t need to guess who it was.</p><p>Whether it was one of the guards or not, Cullen was entirely to blame for his mistreatment. The Commander didn’t even seem remotely apologetic either. But if the Inquisition were to have any success in the days to come, these two were going to have to find some way to get along. They couldn’t work together otherwise. Ramira folded her arms and asked, “Have they been feeding you?” To which Jack snorted, picking at the grime under his nails.</p><p>“Well, they’re not starving me completely,” he said.</p><p>“Do you know who I am?” she asked him next. </p><p>He nodded. “You’re Lady Trevelyan of Ostwick’s Circle, and the one everyone is calling the Herald of Andraste.”</p><p>“Yes,” she nodded. “And you saved my life, if I recall. If not for your help, I doubt I would’ve survived long enough to be able to close the Breach.” She stepped closer, placing her hands on the bars of his cell. “I’ve convinced the Commander to let you go free, provided you help us, and you don’t cause trouble.” She reached to unlock the door of the cell and stepped inside. “Here, let me help you. My magic can heal your wound–”</p><p>He jerked his face away from her touch, scowling still. “Thank you but I’m fine.” He clambered to his feet. “Can’t go hiding how the Commander treats people when he doesn’t get his way.”</p><p>Cullen scoffed at that, but he didn’t say anything. Ramira glanced back and forth between both men. The tension between them was so palpable and thick she’d almost mistake it for the sexual kind. As Jack stepped out of his cell, the way they sneered at one another was like two snarling wolves, sizing one another up. Ramira sighed. This was not going to be easy. “Come, let’s get you cleaned up then. I suppose a proper bath and a hot meal are long overdue.”</p><p>She ushered Jack out of the chamber, the Commander following them closely, burning a stare through the back of the elf’s head that could make a demon cower in fright.</p>
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<a name="section0007"><h2>7. When Life Gives You Leaves, Spill All The Tea!</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Jack had no idea how Ramira managed to convince them to let her go, but she wasn’t about to question it. She was just grateful they were letting her out of that prison cell. She wasn’t free to leave though. Ramira explained that Jack was not to set foot outside Haven, and not to be left alone either. They now stood inside her cabin by the main gate and watched as a few elven pages brought in a tub and some buckets of water for a bath, some clean linen and clothes for Jack as well.</p><p>Cullen had returned to his post outside the gate to resume training the soldiers, but Ramira stayed to keep an eye on Jack. “Don’t turn your back on him,” he’d said in parting, and Jack had rolled her eyes at that. Cullen could go on being suspicious of her if he wanted to, but it wasn’t going to stop her from trying to help. The pages left, and Ramira cast a spell on the water to heat it up until it bubbled, steam wafting from it within seconds. </p><p>“There we are,” she smiled. “Piping hot. I’d leave you to your privacy, of course, but… well, I can at least turn around, can’t I?”</p><p>She turned to face the door as Jack slowly got undressed, peeling off the grimy scout armor she was still wearing. She stared down at herself. It was weird seeing a flat chest and a male appendage between her legs. She wrinkled her nose at it. The weirdest part was that she didn’t even seem to have any hair on her body. Only on her head. Apparently male elves were incapable of growing hair on more places than just their face. But at least she no longer had to fuss over shaving. Silver lining.</p><p>She slowly sank into the tub that was just big enough for her to sit in, dangling her legs over the rim. She reached for the soap and started to scrub herself clean. “You can turn around now, you know,” she said to Ramira. “Not really much to see anyway.” Ramira turned around and smiled at Jack, then moved to settle on the bed while Jack rubbed soap into her skin. It was so weird to see someone she designed in a game sitting on that bed, in the flesh. Living and breathing.</p><p>“I know how you must be feeling right now,” Ramira said. “I never had any privacy in the Circle. It feels rather degrading. Like you’re not even a person. Just some animal in a stable, being herded around.”</p><p>“You don’t get any privacy in a Dalish clan either,” Jack said. “But we stayed relatively close by choice, to protect one another. You didn’t have choice. I can’t even begin to imagine what the Circle must’ve been like for you.” She scooped water into her hands to rinse off the soap on her arms, then started on her legs next. “Thank you for freeing me though. You’re very kind, and understanding. You’re everything I hoped you would be. The Inquisition needs more people like you.”</p><p>“I would’ve wanted someone to give me that same chance, if I were in your place.”</p><p>Jack nodded at that, continuing to wash. She remembered having those same feelings when she played the game with Ramira’s character. She tried to make her as compassionate a leader as she possibly could. Now, to see all those thoughts and actions manifested as an actual person was interesting. She wondered if Hawke would be the same. If she was in a version of the Thedas in which Lathorian Mahariel was sacrificed to slay the Archdemon, then that could mean Lucas Hawke existed too.</p><p>Lucas was a rogue, like Vir’assan, though he wielded daggers instead of a bow, but since she went with the rogue/warrior option instead of apostate mage, that meant Carver died during the Blight and Bethany survived. She made some interesting choices during that playthrough. But just because two of her characters existed in this universe she’d landed in, it was no guarantee that all of them would. But it would definitely tell her a lot about the state of this world, if she knew for certain.</p><p>But she had more important things to worry about than whether or not Hawke sided with mages or Templars during the uprising in Kirkwall. She needed to figure out how she was going to help the Inquisition defeat Corypheus. “So what’s going to happen now?” she asked Ramira, who sat humming and looking at her nails while she scrubbed her parts. “How exactly am I supposed to help the Inquisition? Do they want me shoveling shit out of the latrines, or out fighting demons?”</p><p>Ramira snorted at that. “I’m not sure. Right now, they just want to know more about this Corypheus you worked for. Do you know where he is now?”</p><p>“No. I wish I did. But I have no idea where he would go after the Conclave was destroyed. I really only know what he’s after, and what he’ll do eventually.”</p><p>“And what’s that?”</p><p>“Well, he wants to become a god. So what do you do when you want people to worship you? You form a cult, that’s what.”</p><p>“A cult of worshippers?”</p><p>“More or less. But since everyone that was with him at the Temple died in the blast, he’ll need more followers to do his bidding. So while he’s busy trying to rebuild his numbers, that will give you time to seal the Breach. But you need allies.”</p><p>“And how do I get them?” Ramira asked next.</p><p>Jack sighed. “How about you let me finish bathing, take me to the tavern, buy me some food and a nice big mug of ale, and I’ll tell you and the Inquisition’s advisers in the Chantry afterwards.”</p><p>Ramira thought about it for a moment, rubbing her chin. After a minute or so, she nodded. “Sounds fair enough. I’m quite famished too, and I could really use a drink. Only problem is…I don’t have any coin.”</p><p>“You’re the Herald of Andraste. You’ll never pay for a pint at Haven ever again,” Jack chuckled. “They wouldn’t dare charge you a sovereign after saving everyone from the Breach.”</p><p>“That’s something I’ll never get used to,” Ramira commented. “People actually liking me. Not something that happens often when you’re a mage.”</p><p>“Yeah not often for elves either, so I definitely understand that.”</p><p>The Herald let Jack finish bathing, turning her head politely when she got out of the tub, dried herself off and got dressed. She was given similar clothing to what Ramira wore. The same under-armor, only it came with a set of rogue leathers instead of the kind given to mages. No weapons or lock picking set though. While Jack was no longer in a cell, that didn’t mean anyone trusted her still, and there was no way Cullen would give her anything she could use to escape.</p><p>After she dressed, she followed Ramira to the tavern and sat down with her at an empty table. The town was pretty crowded, more so than in the game, but she supposed that shouldn’t really be a surprise. They closed the Breach a lot sooner than in the game, so a lot less people died. Though there weren’t any mages or Templars in the village, and so few Chantry sisters. Just Inquisition soldiers, servants, and maybe some villagers. But things were different. That much was obvious.</p><p>Flissa set two bowls of soup in front of them, some slices of bread, and two frothing mugs of ale. It tasted pretty disgusting–it wasn’t like beer or wine back home–but it warmed her up a bit. As resilient as elves were, she wasn’t completely impervious to the cold. But clearly Vir’assan’s body had gotten used to harsh weather and simple living. Sleeping in the dungeon wasn’t nearly as bad as she thought it would be. This body of hers was pretty tough. </p><p>Rather than ask about more serious topics, or prod her for more information about Corypheus, Ramira asked Jack about Clan Lavellan. “So what’s your family like?” she asked. “Your Dalish clan? Lavellan, is it? From the Free Marches?”</p><p>Jack nodded. Though she didn’t really know what to say about any particular members. She didn’t want to accidentally say something that wasn’t actually true about Vir’assan’s clan. So she gave the information she learned from the codex, which was pretty standard stuff about Lavellan, that was true no matter how one played the game. “We’re not as closed off from people as most clans,” she said. “We travel around, between Ostwick and Wycome, and we trade with humans sometimes.”</p><p>“That’s very interesting,” Ramira commented. “If you’ve ever been to Ostwick, we might have met before. That’s where I’m from. Though… I don’t remember ever meeting any Dalish before being sent to the Circle. I was very young. My father is Bann of Ostwick and very loyal to the Chantry. He sent me to Ostwick Tower as soon as my magic manifested. The only elves I really know that well are other mages. They were all from the city. How do they treat mages among the Dalish?”</p><p>“Well, it depends on whether or not the clan is over crowded. If there are too many mages at any given time, sometimes they’re given to other clans with fewer numbers, or forced to wander on their own.”</p><p>“All by themselves?! How awful! Do you suppose that’s why Solas is alone? Did he get kicked out of his clan?”</p><p>Jack tried to hide her nervousness the moment the other elf was mentioned, and swallowed a big gulp of ale instead of answering. She forgot about the apostate. She knew way to much about what was going on around here, knew too much about the enemy, and surely at some point Solas would go poking his nose into things, trying to figure out if she knew his true identity or not, and whether or not she posed a threat. If he thought for one moment she might get in his way, things could get ugly.</p><p>“I… I doubt it,” Jack finally answered. “He wouldn’t have survived on his own if he got kicked out of his clan before he was old enough to receive vallaslin. And he wouldn’t have as much knowledge of the Fade at that age. He’s probably from an Alienage, and hid his magic from others to avoid being sent to a Circle. Maybe he got tired of the life and decided it was better to wander and explore the world. The Alienage is a horrible place. It’s a like a Circle, only there are no Templars.”</p><p>Ramira nodded. “It is. My friends told me about them. Most of my friends were elves. Dreadful places to live and the Circles were actually somewhat of an improvement. At least in the Circle, no one was separated by race or social status. Only really judged by our talent as a mage, and how strong we were against temptation and corruption. That’s the only thing I really miss about it. The equality. We all had an equal chance at becoming possessed by demons if we weren’t careful.”</p><p>Jack chuckled at that, causing the Herald to smile. She really liked Ramira. And she was glad that at least one person in this place actually seemed to trust her. So what if people were staring at them. Or whispering about them. For the moment, Jack could pretend everything was going to be okay, sitting and talking with the Herald of Andraste. “I’m very glad you decided to stay and help us,” Ramira said, and she sounded like she meant that genuinely. “And I’m sorry about Cullen.”</p><p>Jack waved it off, like it was no big deal, even though she desperately wanted to strangle the brute. “He’ll be suspicious of me no matter what I say or do,” she admitted. “That’s just Cullen Rutherford.”</p><p>“Did you know him, before the Breach?”</p><p>“No, I just know his type.”</p><p>“Well, I’m afraid the two of you will have to find some way to get along with one another,” the Herald told her. “Maybe try not to purposely antagonize him. And I’ll see that he doesn’t treat you too terribly in the future, at least, not without a damn good reason to. So just don’t give him a reason to.”</p><p>“I can’t promise that,” Jack shrugged. “That’s entirely up to the Commander.”</p><p>Ramira sighed. “You just can’t make this easy for me, can you.”</p><p>“Hey, it won’t be <em>me</em> you’ll have to worry about. And trust me, there are plenty of other obstacles ahead that are more important than whether or not the Commander and I will end up having tea and biscuits while we play a friendly chess match together.”</p><p>Again, Ramira snorted, as if she found that comment laughable. “Well, once we’ve sated our appetites, shall we go tackle some of those obstacles in the Chantry with advisers?”</p><p>Jack nodded. “Sounds good to me.”</p><hr/><p>Once they finished their meals, Ramira gathered the advisers once more and dragged Jack into the war room with her to discuss those obstacles. Jack was now surrounded by some rather discerning gazes. “Well, you’ve already met Cullen, Cassandra and Leliana,” the Herald said to her. She gestured to the Ambassador. “This is Lady Josephine of Antiva, Ambassador of the Inquisition,” she introduced, as if Jack didn’t already know. Josephine merely nodded her head politely. </p><p>“Good to meet you,” she said, crossing her arms. She avoided Cullen’s death glare as much as possible, but he was the first to speak, cutting right to the chase.</p><p>“So, now that you’ve been set free and given the royal treatment,” he derided between clenched teeth, “Are you ready to talk?”</p><p>“I am,” she said, though she still didn’t look at Cullen. She refused to. “And I’ll tell you everything I know.”</p><p>“Jack says Corypheus is trying to build some sort of cult following,” said Ramira.</p><p>“Not <em>trying</em> to,” she corrected. “<em>Going</em> to. That’s his plan. Gather more allies, and not just the Wardens. But eventually the mages and Templars as well. He has a plan of how to trick both sides into working for him.”</p><p>They reared in alarm at this. “With all three factions he could invade Ferelden,” said the Seeker. </p><p>“He could do more than that,” Jack told her. “But that’s a start. You’ll have to reach them before he does. But allying with one side means you’ll make enemies with the other, regardless of which side you choose. If you try to appeal to the mages, the Templars will attack Haven, and if you ally with the Templars, the mages will do the same.” No one looked happy at this. They shared worried glances with one another. “But first you’d have to get them to even contact you.”</p><p>“Neither side has responded to our ravens,” said Leliana.</p><p>“The Chantry has denounced the Inquisition,” added Josephine. “Both mages and Templars are blaming the other side for the explosion at the Conclave, and have returned to fighting. Neither side is willing to negotiate.”</p><p>“Leliana suggested a way to appeal to the Chantry,” Ramira told her. “There’s a Revered Mother in the Hinterlands that might be able to help us.”</p><p>Well then.</p><p>It would seem that nothing really changed much after all, had it? This was exactly what happened in the game. They hadn’t deviated much from the original plot, and still faced the same problems. It seemed that no matter what changed, some things were always destined to take place. The people would always view the survivor of the Breach as Andraste’s Herald, the Chantry would always speak out against the Inquisition, and the mages and Templars would go back to fighting.</p><p>There would always be naysayers, but there would always be unlikely allies found in unusual places.</p><p>“Corypheus won’t even view the Inquisition as a threat yet, not until you find a way to seal the Breach, so my suggestion would be that you do what you can to gather allies and recruit new members. Decide whether or not you’ll ally with mages or Templars. Maybe find a way to appeal to both sides somehow. It’s after the Breach is sealed that you’ll really have to worry about him.”</p><p>“You sound so convinced,” said Cullen. </p><p>“Well, like I said, I know his plan. What his next step would be. The ritual at the Temple was a complete and utter failure, so he’ll try to find some other way to gain access to the Fade. Ramira isn’t the only one that doesn’t have enough power yet. Corypheus is also significantly weakened after trying to open the Breach. He’ll need to regroup, find other options, seek out other means, and if he thinks no one even knows he was behind it, he’ll think he already won, and will severely underestimate you.”</p><p>“We could certainly use that to our advantage,” Leliana agreed. “Pretend we’re clueless as to who is behind it still, and not let him onto our game. Concentrate our efforts on the Breach. But… this may mean we’ll have to call upon the rebel mages for help.”</p><p>“And I still think the Templars would be a better option,” said Cullen.</p><p>Leliana sighed. “We don’t even know if their powers would have any effect on it.”</p><p>“No, Cullen is right, it would totally work,” Jack said, and Cullen backpedaled in surprise. “With enough Templars, their combined power could suppress the magic of the Breach and weaken it enough that Ramira would expend no more effort trying to close it than any smaller rift.”</p><p>“But how will we even arrange a meeting with either side?” Josephine asked.</p><p>“Find Mother Giselle,” Jack told Ramira. “Listen to what she has to say. You’ll get your chance to address the Chantry, and it will open a lot of doors for the Inquisition. Most importantly, it will get the mages and Templars to notice you. With enough pressure placed on them, they’ll have no choice but to act. There are also a million other ways to help people and gather allies in the Hinterlands. There are rifts all over the place, and assisting the refugees will inspire a lot of people.”</p><p>“Well, I suppose it’s settled then,” said the Herald. “Cassandra and I will leave for the Hinterlands as soon as possible.”</p><p>“You’ll meet with my lead scout, Lace Harding, on the outskirts,” Leliana mentioned. “She’ll be able to tell you more about the situation when you arrive.”</p><p>“We should start preparing for the journey,” Cassandra suggested. Ramira nodded in agreement.</p><p>“What do you plan to do with me?” Jack asked the advisers.</p><p>Cullen shared a look with Leliana. “I’m sure the Spymaster will find some use for you,” he said. Then he headed toward the door. “If I’m no longer needed, I’ll be in the training yard.”</p><p>Cassandra followed shortly after him, exiting the war room, but Ramira stayed behind for a moment longer, stretching out an arm to shake Jack’s hand. “I wish you the best of luck, ma’falon,” she said, and Jack smiled at the elvish term meaning, ‘my friend’. </p><p>“May your Maker go with you, lethallan,” she replied, then watched Ramira walk away.</p><p>She was then left alone with Leliana and Josephine, who shared a look before giving her their undivided attention again. “The Herald seems quite attached to you already,” said Josephine.</p><p>“And Cullen seemed ready to tear his hair out until you proved him right,” said Leliana. “I daresay that’s the only reason he didn’t argue. Do you honestly believe Templars have a chance at sealing the Breach if we allied with them?”</p><p>“I do,” she nodded. “But you should be careful. No matter which side you choose. As I said, Corypheus will try to play both sides at some point, and Ramira will face enemies from both.”</p><p>“It’s a pity we cannot convince both sides,” said Josephine. “And end the conflict between them entirely.”</p><p>“You might still have a chance,” Jack said, a plan forming in her mind. “But it will depend on how well Ramira handles the Chantry first.”</p><p>“I suppose we’ll wait and see then,” said the spy. “In the meantime, we shall have to find a better use for you.”</p><p>“So what will it be then? Cleaning chamber pots? Shining shoes?”</p><p>Leliana snorted. “No. Nothing of the sort. You have some measure of talent with a bow, and such a skill would be wasted in servitude. But you seem to lack any other sort of combat training, so we shall have to see that your weapons skills are honed before we send you on any missions with the other scouts.”</p><p>“You really think Cullen will allow that?”</p><p>“Provided you continue to prove you are trustworthy,” said Josephine, “No one will object to your leaving Haven. But perhaps don’t step on the Commander’s toes until then.”</p><p>“And there is another task you may see to,” Leliana added before turning and swiping a piece of parchment from the table behind them. She held it out to Jack. “We received this message from your clan earlier.”</p><p>As Jack stared at the paper, Josephine said, “We should like to have peaceful relations with Clan Lavellan, and don’t wish to cause any unnecessary conflict, so we thought it best if you personally replied to their letter.”</p><p>Jack continued to stare at the markings on the paper, drawn in ink, and blinked rapidly several times. She could imagine what it said. No doubt it was the letter a Dalish Herald would receive from Keeper Istimaethoriel, asking the Inquisition about their clansman. Only there was a problem. It was written in the same language as everything else in the game. Sure, maybe the words popped up on the screen in her own language, but… this was the same kind of writing found in the writ of the Divine.</p><p>Like the sign Cullen hung on the Chantry door. And maybe Vir’assan Lavellan would have the ability to read the words his Clan Keeper wrote, but Jacquelyn Eaves didn’t have some inherent magical ability to. It was complete gibberish to her. She certainly wouldn’t be able to write a legible response in the same language. “Uhm… I’m sure however you contacted them would be fine,” she said to them both, and tried to hand the letter back, but Leliana refused to take it.</p><p>“They’ll be more at ease of <em>you</em> write to them,” she said. “Perhaps even willing to help us, if they know you’re safe.”</p><p>She swallowed. She wasn’t going to be able to talk her way out of this, was she? Jack sighed and flopped the letter on the table. “There’s just one problem,” she said. “I… I can’t read it. I… I don’t know how.”</p><p>Josephine and Leliana glanced at one another, then back at her, both equally surprised. “You never learned to read?” Josephine asked. She shook her head. This would probably bite her in the ass later, somehow. Maybe if Clan Lavellan themselves ever found out that Vir’assan was claiming he didn’t know how to read. “Perhaps that should be your first lesson then. Weapons training can wait. We should have you properly educated. You cannot be sent on an expedition if you cannot read missives.”</p><p>“Well,” Leliana huffed, turning to the Ambassador, “I suppose he’s all <em>yours</em> then, for the moment.”</p><p>Jack cringed a little, seeing the glare Josephine shot Leliana just then, at the prospect of such tedious work being thrust onto her shoulders.</p><p>But the Ambassador forced a smile and said, “Perhaps it will be fun for the both of us,” with a slight shrug, snatching up the letter from Clan Lavellan. “Let’s get started, shall we?”</p><p>She gestured toward the door, and Jack shuffled along, following her to her office chamber.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Too Many Steps Ahead in the Game</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I wasn't completely sure where I wanted to go with this chapter, and I don't know if I like it but... Oh well. Here it is.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When Leliana left the Chantry, she didn’t immediately head back to her post at the tent just outside. Instead she marched quickly down the path toward the main gate and left the village proper to find Cullen in the training yard. He was observing their newest recruits, some pilgrims that had made the journey for the Conclave, but stayed to join the Inquisition. They were paired up and sparring with practice swords and shields, the Commander carefully watching their form.</p><p>“May I speak with you privately, Commander?” Leliana asked him, and he inclined his head, nodding in response. </p><p>He followed her further down the path, away from the soldiers, to a more secluded area where they could speak. Cullen didn’t fail to notice how troubled Leliana looked, though he couldn’t imagine as to why, only assume it had something to do with Jack. Perhaps she was still angry at him for striking the elf, even though she herself had become rather suspicious of him after speaking to him in the dungeon. She started pacing in front of him, as if agitated.</p><p>“What is it now?” he asked her, folding his arms over his chest.</p><p>“Something just isn’t adding up,” she answered, as she paced. “The more we learn from Jack, the stranger everything seems. First, that he shouldn’t have any basic training with a blade, though Dalish train their hunters to fight with multiple weapons, from an early age, to ready for anything. I remember Lathorian telling me that his clan trained him as early as ten years old. And now to learn that he doesn’t know how to read? It just doesn’t make any sense, Commander!”</p><p>“Wait,” Cullen held up a hand to stop her pacing, “He doesn’t know how to read?”</p><p>“No,” she said, shaking her head. “He couldn’t decipher the letter from Keeper Istimaethoriel, despite it being in the common tongue, not elvish. Usually the Keepers of their lore are the only ones to learn the elvish texts and they might only pass this on to the First of their clan that will one day take their place. But the rest are never taught. They pass on the elven tradition orally. But I would’ve thought that Clan Lavellan would send someone to the Conclave that could read our tongue.”</p><p>“That does seem rather odd,” Cullen agreed, rubbing the back of his neck. “Why would they send someone that can’t so much as read a map or a sign on a post.”</p><p>“Exactly,” she said. “I’m beginning to suspect that Vir’assan Lavellan isn’t… actually Vir’assan Lavellan.”</p><p>“You think he might have switched places with the real one?”</p><p>“If he bore an uncanny resemblance to him, it’s possible.” Once more she continued to pace, wringing her hands. “It’s just that none of it is quite adding up. He knows <em>too much</em>, Cullen. He didn’t only know what our enemy plans to do, but he also knew precisely what the <em>Inquisition</em> plans to do. He knows who we are, what we want. He knew there would be a sole survivor of the Breach, the moment it appeared. He knew she would have the mark, and that the people would proclaim her as their Herald.”</p><p>She continued to pace, adding, “He saw right through my ruse in the dungeon, the moment I entered. He knows every angle. Every possible outcome. He’s too many steps ahead of us in the game.”</p><p>“Where is he now?” Cullen asked her.</p><p>“In the Chantry, with Josephine. She’s going to teach him how to read and write, so he can be of use to us, and later I’ll have one of my scouts begin his weapons training.”</p><p>“Maker’s breath, Leliana!” he cursed. “You realize that teaching him such things will only make him more dangerous than he already is.”</p><p>“And if we do nothing, he’ll think we don’t trust him still,” she argued. “We can’t let him suspect that we’re onto him. We have to let him believe we’re slowly warming up to him, otherwise he won’t help us… But… There’s just one thing that escapes me still, that I can’t seem to piece together… <em>Why</em>, Cullen? Why would he betray his master and help us? Could he truly have even been working with Corypheus at all? Or is it someone else entirely, that’s pulling Jack’s strings?”</p><p>This left Cullen dumbfounded for a moment, and he stared almost blankly at the Spymaster.</p><p>“What do you mean?” he finally asked.</p><p>She sighed. </p><p>“I mean to say…” she began carefully, “That I’m beginning to wonder who the real prophet is here, Commander… Is it really Ramira Trevelyan?... Or could it be Jack of Clan Lavellan?”</p><hr/><p>For the next several days, as Ramira and her companions traveled to the Hinterlands to meet with Scout Harding, Jack began her ‘training’ as an Inquisition agent. She had a routine, and every day was pretty much the same. She was allowed to stay in Ramira’s cabin while she was gone, though it wasn’t much of an upgrade from the dungeon, considering there were guards posted outside the door at all hours of the day and night, but at least she had a bed now. She was shaken awake every morning at sunrise.</p><p>First she ate in the tavern, with the other soldiers, then she jogged up to the Chantry to sit with Josephine in her office and learn Thedosian letters, practicing her reading and writing skills. She felt like she was in primary school, the way she had to struggle just to piece together a single word. But once she mastered each symbol and the sounds it made, she could begin writing sentences next. After her reading lesson and her midday meal, she trained with Charter to use a blade.</p><p>She would much prefer to spend time with Josephine all day, because at least the Ambassador was polite and conversational, sharing facts about various countries and their cultures with Jack, their customs and traditions. Charter on the other hand was very quiet, and stuck completely to the lesson at hand. She would start with daggers, as she was a rogue naturally, but she would also be expected to keep her archery skills up to par as well.</p><p>She seemed to get a rise out of outclassing Jack and knocking her flat on her back at every possible turn. She felt like she only got more bruises than actually learning anything. But Charter didn’t have anything rude to say. No snide remarks to make. She was an elf too, so she certainly didn’t make any underhanded or derogatory remarks at Jack. She surmised that the rogue was simply a tough teacher, Jack needed to be a faster learner, and keep up with the pace Charter set.</p><p>But her least favorite time of day was not being beaten to a bloody pulp or sent sprawling to the dirt in the training yard. It was in the evening after supper when she was tasked with delivering messages. It was something she could do to keep busy that didn’t require her leaving Haven, being a runner for the advisers. As ravens would fly in with reports from abroad, Leliana would make copies and have each delivered to the other advisers, which meant Jack had to suffer the Commander.</p><p>But as long as she didn’t get into trouble, and did precisely as she was told, no one really had a problem with her. Maybe people might give her dirty looks if they passed her in the streets, and maybe some of them might whisper about her, but no one said anything to her directly, much less berated her with questions. She just had to deal with that death glare of Cullen’s. It wouldn’t bother her so much, if not for the fact that Cullen had the power to lock her back up if he saw fit.</p><p>She shifted from foot to foot, holding a missive from Leliana, and stared at the back of Cullen’s head as he stood near the tent at dusk, glancing over other reports. She wished they didn’t have to be enemies. That she didn’t have to be the suspicious elf that “worked for the enemy” before joining the Inquisition. She didn’t like being the on the receiving end of the wrathful Cullen Rutherford that people feared. He wasn’t a nice person, and she didn’t look forward to facing him.</p><p>But finally she pushed her feet to move and walked toward the tent, clearing her throat and holding out the missive when he turned around. He only saw the note at first and a hand holding it out to him, but as soon as he realized who was delivering it, he frowned. She had no idea what the note said. Even if she could read Leliana’s handwriting, she didn’t need to snoop and try to decipher what she was reporting to the Commander. It was probably just an update on the situation in Ferelden.</p><p>He accepted the message and poured over it for a moment, and meanwhile Jack stood there, picking at her nails.</p><p>He glanced back up at her. “Was there something you needed?” he groused.</p><p>“Just waiting to be dismissed, Commander,” she said, brushing her nails on her coat sleeve. “Will there be anything else, <em>sir</em>?”</p><p>His frown deepened for a moment. But he sighed and said, “Charter tells me you’re actually shaping up quite nicely as a fighter. A few more sessions and you may actually catch up to the rest of the recruits.” Well, that wasn’t saying much. They maybe managed to snag a few Templars that had given up fighting a hopeless battle against the mages, starved of Lyrium without the Chantry supplying them, but most of them were farmers and refugees from Ferelden. </p><p>“So we’re making small-talk now?” she remarked, lifting a brow. He made a ‘tch’ sound and rolled his eyes. “Well if there’s nothing else you need, I suppose I’ll head back to the village.”</p><p>“Wait,” he said, and she paused in step. He opened the tent flap and gestured for her to enter. “There <em>is</em> something I wish to discuss with you. Privately, if I may.”</p><p>She acquiesced, following him inside the command tent and glancing around. He closed the flap behind them, giving them some semblance of privacy, and there was a candle, resting on the makeshift desk, to illuminate his features, though she could see him perfectly well in the dim light. He seemed to glow, not just from the candle, but there was a brightness around him that also highlighted every corner of every item in the tent. Her night vision lit everything up like a Christmas tree.</p><p>The desk was more or less a crate, piled with items; parchment, quills and ink. Candle wax dripped from its holder and onto the surface. There was a cot nearby, a wool blanket, and a trunk, probably belonging to him, but little else. Cullen was never one to have many material items. “Something you said the other day in the Chantry still disturbs me,” he began, resting his gloved hand on the pommel of his blade. “You said that regardless of what action we take, we can expect Corypheus to attack, at some point.”</p><p>She nodded. “Yes, and you’ll probably want to prepare for that eventuality. Haven won’t stand a chance against an army attacking from all sides, so you might want to consider evacuating the Valley. Make an exit plan, in case you get overwhelmed. Are there any secret passageways in Haven that you know of?”</p><p>“None that I plan to share the details of with <em>you</em>,” he answered. All she could do was shrug at that. She didn’t expect Cullen to tell her anything, and she already knew the truth. He didn’t know. His men never found them. It would take Roderick telling them about a secret path leading out of the village for them to have any means of escape when Corypheus’ forces invaded. But of course, they never expected an attack. Cullen had time to prepare for it now. </p><p>“You should maybe ask Chancellor Roderick. He’s the only one left alive that has actually taken the summer pilgrimage. Those that made the journey learned all of Haven’s secrets. He would know if the Chantry made a secret exit for the Clerics in case of a threat.”</p><p>“Roderick has gone to Val Royeaux,” Cullen told her. “He refuses to aid the Inquisition any further.”</p><p>“Well… I’m sure he’ll be back eventually. Just because he’s done helping your organization, doesn’t mean he’s finished trying to dismantle it by spreading fear mongering and hate. I know his type. He’ll keep trying.”</p><p>Cullen stared at her for a moment, as if he were still trying to piece her together. He didn’t say anything for a long time, and Jack shifted uncomfortably at the look he gave her. She just kept digging herself in deeper and deeper, didn’t she? Every time she said something just entirely too suspicious, about things she probably shouldn’t even know about. Well, if she was already digging her own grave, she might as well hand Cullen the shovel.</p><p>“He has a dragon,” she blurted.</p><p>Cullen’s eyes widened. “Pardon?!”</p><p>“Corypheus has a dragon,” she repeated.</p><p>“A dra–!” he started to exclaim, loudly, but clamped his mouth shut, as if remembering there were still soldiers outside, patrolling Haven, and plenty of people that could overhear them, even at this late hour. “A dragon?!” he hissed quietly. “You have to be joking!”</p><p>“No he really does,” she said, stepping closer. “For all intents and purposes let’s call it an Archdemon. And he can command it. He will use it to destroy Haven, Commander. He’ll come after Ramira and try to take the mark back, and if he can’t remove it, he will kill her instead. You need to do everything you can to prepare for this. Fortify Haven, build trebuchets. Maybe don’t send people into a full blown panic by telling them there’s a dragon, but prepare for any and every possibility.”</p><p>“We would be utterly obliterated by an Archdemon, even if we’d an army of Grey Wardens at our back.”</p><p>“But you know what he’s after, and you know he’ll be coming. Don’t stop to celebrate after the Breach is closed. Don’t let down your guard. And keep your eyes on the sky. If there’s any way to recruit both the mages and Templars, you’ll have enough numbers to make a stand against him.”</p><p>Cullen considered all this, eyes darting over the desk rapidly, a look of worry on his face. “This can’t be. It’s… it’s impossible. First controlling the Wardens, then commanding an Archdemon… It goes against everything we know about the Blight.”</p><p>“This isn’t a Blight, Cullen,” she said. His eyes met hers when she used his name. “And this is no ordinary darkspawn. He was one of the original Magisters to breach the Fade and bring the Blight into Thedas. You’ll have to accept this as your new reality, and do it soon, so you can start preparing your men for the inevitable. We already saved so many from the Breach. If you would just maybe let me help you–if you would just <em>trust me</em>, Cullen–we can continue to <em>save</em> more lives than we’ll lose.”</p><p>For whatever reason, this made Cullen angry again, and he scowled at her.</p><p>“Yes, well, for all your talk of helping people and saving lives, you couldn’t miraculously save <em>Rylen</em>, now could you?!” he snapped at her, and she backed away in surprise.</p><p>“Rylen? Ser Rylen from Starkhaven… he’s dead?”</p><p>She watch Cullen take a slow breath through his nose to steady himself, though he was still trembling. Lieutenant Rylen was supposed to be promoted to Commander and given the run of Griffon Wing Keep in the Western Approach after the Inquisition got to Skyhold. Rylen worked with Cullen in Kirkwall. Cullen was the reason he joined the Inquisition, and evidently the two were better friends than the game made them out to be. He was taking his death pretty hard.</p><p>And it could only be Jack’s fault, because she’d interfered. </p><p>She’d tried to change things.</p><p>No wonder Cullen was so angry with her. He was grieving Rylen’s death on top of Lyrium withdrawal and the pressures of the Inquisition, and had no one else to blame. So he was taking it out on her. Trying desperately to cling to the idea that she was their enemy so he could feel justified in hating her still. Even though all she’d done was try to help. Putting so much at risk by telling them the truth. Making herself a target for their fear and mistrust. Their prejudice.</p><p>“I’m sorry,” she mumbled. “I’m very sorry, Cullen. I… I didn’t know.”</p><p>“But you knew we were acquainted,” he said quietly. “Didn’t you? You… You knew who I was, when we met. You recognized me immediately. You… How much more do you know about me? Tell me.”</p><p>“I… I know what everyone else knows.”</p><p>“<em>Lies</em>,” he spat. “The truth, Jack! Tell me what you know about me! I’m not letting you leave this tent until you tell me!”</p><p>She sighed at him. This was not going to get him to trust her. But she couldn’t lie to him either. Lying about anything now would only stack on more problems. She moved to lean against the desk, careful not to disturb any of the items resting on it, and folded her arms. She couldn’t look at Cullen. If she did, she’d lose her nerve. </p><p>“You were born in Honnleath, in 9:11. You have three siblings, Mia, Branson and Rosalie. Your parents were killed during the Blight and your family relocated to South Reach. You were stationed at Ferelden’s Circle, at the time. Kinloch Hold. You wanted to join the Templars ever since you were a boy. You looked up to them. You pestered the ones at the local Chantry to train you. The Captain noticed you had talent and agreed to speak to your parents about joining. You were thirteen, a bit older than the other initiates.</p><p>You just wanted to protect people… But during the Blight, at Kinloch, mages took over the Tower and used blood magic to summon demons. Enchanter Uldrid held you captive behind a magical barrier. The demons, they… they tried to break you. Luckily the Hero of Ferelden came and when he killed Uldrid, you were released from captivity. You survived… but you’re still haunted by the experience. You have nightmares about it. They’re especially bad now that you’ve stopped taking Lyrium. </p><p>You were transferred to Kirkwall, and served under Knight-Commander Meredith. Promoted to the rank of Captain. You didn’t know, but she’d been slowly going mad because her sword had been crafted from Red Lyrium. It made her stronger, more powerful, but even she had no idea how unstable the substance is. No one even knows how Red Lyrium is made, much less the true extent of its capabilities. Eventually she turned on all of you, and the Red Lyrium turned her into a statue.</p><p>You don’t write to your family often enough, you like chess, you <em>love</em> mabaris, you have a terrible habit of spending way too much time calibrating the trebuchets, and your hair used to be curly, thus Varric’s nickname.” She paused to look up at Cullen, expecting any moment for him to snap at her again, but was surprised to find him somewhat calm. All he did was stare. Probably completely floored to hear all this, but not angry, which surprised her. Just… stunned into complete silence.</p><p>“You… You know things about me I’ve never told anyone,” he said breathlessly in disbelief. “Do you know this much about <em>everyone</em> here?”</p><p>“Not everyone, per say, but I do know that Leliana likes nugs, Varric is secretly a pushover, and Cassandra is totally reading his trashy romance serial. She… also lost someone in the explosion. Someone she couldn’t save.”</p><p>“How…” He trailed off and just stared. It took him a moment to snap out of his trance, then he said, “Leliana suspects you’re not truly Vir’assan Lavellan. Of course… she also wonders if maybe you’re some sort of prophet or seer, given all you know, which I think is absolute nonsense, but…”</p><p>“Look, I’m not here to hurt anyone,” she said. “I’ve had plenty of opportunities to do so, if I wanted. I could’ve just done nothing. But I didn’t. You can believe I worked for Corypheus if you want to. You can think I’m some sort of prophet, hell, you can claim I’m a demon or some shit. <em>I don’t care</em>. Just let me help the Inquisition stop Corypheus. I don’t care how I have to do it. But just don’t go trying stab me or lock me back up in that dungeon again.”</p><p>He snorted. “No one’s locking you back up. You <em>are</em> an agent of the Inquisition now… with stipulations, of course. But if you’re going to continue trying to convince everyone you’re Vir’assan Lavellan, you might want to get better at pretending you’re Dalish.” He sucked in a breath. “And <em>whoever</em> you really are… if you go telling everyone what you know about me, the inside of a cell is the only thing you’ll see for the foreseeable future.” He looked her up and down. “You should get some sleep.”</p><p>She huffed at him. “Well, I suppose that’s my cue to leave then, is it? Goodnight, Commander.”</p><p>“Goodnight, Jack.”</p><p>She gave him a slight nod in parting, then exited his tent, releasing the metaphorical breath she’d been holding. She almost wanted to vomit after that emotional rollercoaster ride. Cullen could be very intense, and not knowing how he would react to everything she said? She nearly had a nervous breakdown from all the stress. She hightailed it back to her cabin as soon as she possibly could without looking like she was running from Cullen for dear life.</p><hr/><p>Cullen massaged the kink in his neck after Jack left, staring down at the mess of his makeshift desk and all the disorganization. His neck was sore from tossing and turning in discomfort on that cot and, yes… from nightmares. Memories of Kinloch. They had gotten worse since he stopped taking Lyrium. To hear Jack say all that about him shocked the Commander beyond words. He’d expected any good spy would do their research on their enemy, but for Jack to know such <em>private</em> things?</p><p>Even if he was no mage, it was obvious that Jack was no ordinary elf. </p><p>It kept him up most of the night, thinking about it, and all through the next morning he couldn’t get Jack’s words out of his head. </p><p>
  <em>You wanted to join the Templars ever since you were a boy. You looked up to them. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>You just wanted to protect people…</em>
</p><p>He glanced down at the report in his hand, that he wasn’t even reading, as he’d been lost in thought, and realized it was a request from the Hinterlands. After meeting Mother Giselle, Ramira had managed to locate the horse master in Redcliffe farms that the Inquisition had been trying to contact before the fighting resumed. They were requesting the Inquisition build watchtowers in the area to transport supply wagons and horses safely through the Hinterlands and to Haven. </p><p>He turned to the young man next to him, handing him back the report. Eldis was his name. Eldis Flynn. The man Rylen had died saving. He’d been a Captain of the Templar Order before joining the Inquisition, and while he may not have been as experienced as Rylen was with working along side Cullen, he was a fast learner, and now served as Cullen’s Lieutenant in his place. He was good soldier, and Cullen was certain Rylen would be pleased with the choice in replacement.</p><p>He tasked Flynn with rounding up as many people as they could find with any carpentry experience. Wood working or stone building would do. They’d use whatever materials they could find at Redcliffe farms to build the watchtowers. The Herald had marked suitable locations for tower placement on a map, and mentioned in a note that Inquisition banners would be flying at each ridge she’d marked so the soldiers would find their way. She also asked how Jack was faring.</p><p>Jack was currently trudging past the main gate and headed to the training yard, to begin his lesson with Charter. </p><p>Cullen sighed a little when he saw him.</p><p>Perhaps the others were right.</p><p>Perhaps he’d get nowhere if he couldn’t at least be civil with the elf.</p><p>And perhaps today was the day he’d start on that.</p><p>“Charter!” he called, as he strolled over to the both of them. “Report to Leliana today. I’ll handle his training.”</p><p>“Sister Leliana wanted him trained using dirks, sir,” she said.</p><p>He snorted. “And you think me incapable of that?” he said. </p><p>“Well, I hadn’t meant to imply–”</p><p>“Just report to Leliana,” he repeated, and watched as the elf scurried away.</p>
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